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Suspect in estranged wife’s death in Millcreek arrested while confessing crime to a TV station

Walter Eugene Brantzeg

Police arrested Walter Brantzeg, suspected of using a crowbar to kill his estranged wife and injure their teen daughter in Millcreek on Wednesday morning — apparently while he was on the phone with a Salt Lake City TV station, confessing to the crime.

Officers from the Unified Police Department are investigating the death of a woman near the River Bend Apartments, on River Hollow Road, just west of 700 West, at about 3900 South, in Millcreek.

Sgt. Melody Gray of the Unified Police Department said a neighbor called 911 about 7:05 a.m. Wednesday. Police found the woman dead, and her 13-year-old daughter injured.

The daughter is being treated at Primary Children’s Hospital, and is in extremely critical condition, Gray said.

Brantzeg, 54, was found in his car, near the corner of 300 East and 4500 South, in Murray. Gray said police tracked him by pinging his cellphone while he was calling Salt Lake City TV stations. He was arrested while talking to a news manager at FOX 13.

Gray said Brantzeg told news outlets that he used a crowbar in the attack. A weapon has not been found, Gray said, and police are still investigating the scene.

Marc Sternfield, news director for FOX 13, said in an email to The Salt Lake Tribune that Brantzeg called the station about 9 a.m. Wednesday, and talked to a news manager.

“During the call, [Brantzeg] confessed to killing his estranged wife over a custody dispute, and also explained how he tried to kill his teenage daughter,” Sternfield said in the email. “The call ended when [Brantzeg] told our employee that police had arrived to arrest him.”

The story will be updated.

Editor’s note: The Salt Lake Tribune and FOX 13 are content-sharing partners.