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A 31-year-old man killed earlier this week was remembered by family and friends as a lifelong rancher who passionately cared for the lands that had been in his family for generations.
Tate Jensen died late Sunday after 24-year-old Jacob Milchak apparently shot him at a residence on Wood Hill Road near Price; Milchak then took his own life, said Carbon County Sheriff James Cordova in a statement Tuesday.
A woman who was at the home and witnessed the shooting escaped unharmed, Cordova said.
Authorities released no details Tuesday about what would have caused Milchak, a man with no felony convictions, to kill Jensen. The sudden deaths of both men left people reeling in the small community.
Brent Tanner, a Jensen family friend and executive vice president of the Utah Cattlemen's Association, said Tuesday that news of the slaying was "extremely" shocking and was hard on his family.
"Tate was as fine an individual, as hardworking, as caring a family man as you would ever find," he said.
He said Jensen was raised on the family's cattle ranch and at very young age was out already working with the cattle.
"I don't think there was any question in his mind that ranching was in his blood and that was what he wanted to do," Tanner said. "Had a passion for the land and the way of life. He was very proud of the heritage he had there."
That passion, particularly in ensuring he was being a good steward of the land he loved, only grew after Jensen graduated from Utah State University with a degree in ranch management, he said.
"He was backed by the family and the passion," Tanner said. "He was really the mover to see that some of those things were done. He frequently said that this land is here for us to care for."
Tanner said Jensen and his family had received recognition for their stewardship.
His obituary noted Jensen had "developed a keen eye for managing cattle, an unmatched work ethic and gentle hand for raising horses."
He had served as a past president of the Eastern Utah Cattle Growers Association, an area director of the Utah Cattlemen's Association, on the board of the Utah Grazing Improvement Program, and as a member of the Cattlemen's Association, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and the Utah Farm Bureau, according to the obituary.
He is survived by his parents, two sisters, a brother and numerous other family members. Jensen's parents, Butch and Jeanie Jensen, own Tavaputs Ranch, a popular 10,000-acre working cattle operation and tourist attraction about 50 miles east of Price.
A woman who answered the phone Tuesday afternoon at the Milchak home said the family had no comment.
Cordova identified the two men, but did not return calls Tuesday seeking comment beyond the prepared statement, which did not further detail the nature of the injuries sustained by Jensen and Milchak.
"The incident remains under investigation by the Carbon County Sheriff's Office, although at this time the evidence indicates this incident is a murder-suicide," the sheriff stated.
The woman who witnessed the shooting did not return a message seeking comment.
Utah court records show that Milchak had three encounters with the law that resulted in citations for class B misdemeanor charges of assault, involving domestic violence, in September 2009; carrying a loaded firearm in October 2008; and possession of alcohol by a minor in May 2008.
Bob Mims contributed to this report.
Memorial services
P Services for Tate Jensen have been scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday at the Carbon County Event Center. A vigil will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the event center.
In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made to the "Tate Jensen Scholarship Fund" c/o of the Utah Cattlemen's Association, 150 South 600 East No. 10B, Salt Lake City, Utah 84102.
Anyone with questions about making a donation can contact the Cattlemen's Association at 801-355-5748.