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A Provo man pleaded guilty Thursday to strangling his aunt with an electrical cord then leaving her body in a trash bin in Hobble Creek Canyon.
Damien Candland, 23, pleaded guilty to an aggravated murder charge for the February slaying of Amy Jo Candland, 45. In exchange for prosecutors agreeing to dismiss charges of rape and obstruction of justice, Damien Candland is expected to be sentenced to life without parole, said his attorney, Richard Gale.
Amy Candland was last seen alive about noon on Feb. 21, 2010, when Damien Candland was dropped off at her Provo home, where he also was living. Within 45 minutes, the woman was not answering phone calls or responding to text messages, prosecutors have said.
Her body was found later that day in a canyon east of Springville.
Footprints found at the scene matched Damien Candland's and DNA testing showed Amy Candland's blood was on the man's T-shirt, prosecutors said. The victim's DNA was found underneath her nephew's fingernails.
Prosecutors alleged Damien Candland may have killed his aunt because of petty disputes about vacuuming, washing dishes and other household chores.
Damien Candland's plea agreement extended to two separate cases alleging assaults. Damien Candland pleaded guilty to one aggravated assault charge and prosecutors dismissed another.
Candland is scheduled to be sentenced March 17 in 4th District Court.