A homeowner in West Jordan shot and killed a burglar who broke into his house early Friday morning, police said.
Police later identified the deceased woman as Makayla Yeaman, age 23.
The 26-year-old man woke up about 5:30 a.m. to the sound of his garage door opening. His dogs started barking, too, so he went downstairs with a gun to investigate, West Jordan police officer Scott List said .
He had “some kind of altercation” with the female burglar before firing at and hitting her. She died at the home, near 6800 W. 7600 South.
In addition to the homeowner, three people were inside during the shooting: the man’s 26-year-old wife, 58-year-old mother and 2-year-old child. None of them was injured. And none appears to have any connection to the burglar.
“They have no idea who this lady is,” List said. “[The man] did recognize that it was not a family member or anybody that should have been in the home.”
Police say Yeaman had a garage door opener — though it’s unclear if she somehow got it from the family or had a generic one.
Yeaman pleaded guilty in 2015 in state court in Salt Lake City to misdemeanor drug offenses and a felony charge of unlawful acquisition or possession of a financial card. A court docket says she was sentenced to a year in jail and three years of probation.
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