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New information indicates a Sandy man was allegedly killed by men he didn't know after having an argument with a woman at a barbecue the night of his death, according to police.
"We know for sure it was a verbal confrontation between the two of them," Unified Police Lt. Justin Hoyal told The Tribune Tuesday.
Police believe 25-year-old Michael Robert Workman was leaving a friend's house on the 1600 East block of Delaware Lane (4945 South) when he was attacked by three men last Thursday at about 3 a.m.
Hoyal said the men did not know Workman, but they knew the woman with whom he had argued. She told the men about it and it went from there, Hoyal said.
The family has said Workman had gone to play frisbee golf and then on to the barbecue with people he'd met playing the sport. Police believe it was at that get-together where Workman had the confrontation with the woman.
Investigators are still determining what the argument was about.
The three men, along with a woman who allegedly acted as getaway driver, have been arrested in connection with Workman's death. But the woman with whom Workman had the argument has not been arrested and is not currently suspected of committing any crime associated with the homicide, Hoyal said.
Talon L. Hamann, 18, allegedly stabbed Workman, while 20-year-old Austin S. Taylor and 18-year-old Ryan G. Curtz hit him with their fists. Police are still searching for the weapon, but say it was not a knife. Investigators have said the trio left Workman to die outside the nearby church, driving away with 18-year-old Shalynn Caro, who also drove the men to the scene.
Workman's body was discovered about 7:30 a.m. Thursday.
Hamann was arrested Friday at a downtown Salt Lake City Motel 6, while Taylor and Caro, who are engaged to be married, according to their Facebook pages, were found at a Holladay home. Police found Curtz at another home several hours later.
The three men were booked into Salt Lake County jail on suspicion of homicide and were being held without bail. Caro is being held on suspicion of obstruction of justice. Official charges are still pending.
All four have been charged recently with minor crimes, according to a search of Utah court records.
Funeral services for Workman will be held on Saturday, Sept. 1, at noon at the LDS Eastridge 4th Ward Building, 11777 S. Willow Wood Drive (850 East) in Draper. A fund to help with funeral expenses has been set up at Mountain America Credit Union, under the name Michael Robert Workman Estate.
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