Utah man accused of killing a woman and then stabbing himself booked into jail after hospital stay

A man accused of stabbing a 53-year-old woman to death and turning the knife on himself was booked into jail Friday on murder charges after spending almost a week in the hospital.

Police first encountered Jose Gutierrez-Torres, 39, on March 3, when he answered the door at his home near 9800 W. 10400 North in Bothwell, west of Tremonton. He was covered in blood, according to a probable cause statement.

Police went to the house because Gutierrez-Torres’ brother had called 911 earlier to report a phone conversation he had with Gutierrez-Torres. The brother said Gutierrez-Torres told him he’d done “something stupid” and that he needed help and so did his wife.

Tremonton police got to the house first that Sunday morning, and an officer tried to help Gutierrez-Torres. The officer soon found Maria De Jesus Cervantes dead in a back room. She’d been stabbed several times. About 8 inches from her head, police found a steak knife covered in blood and wrapped in a wash cloth, according to the probable cause statement.

Investigators with Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office were also called to the house. They concluded Gutierrez-Torres stabbed Cervantes and then stabbed himself.

According to the probable cause statement, a family member told detectives that Gutierrez-Torres had texted her around midnight saying he was “going to join” another family member who had recently died. A family member also said that Gutierrez-Torres called early Sunday morning saying “they are dying," and Cervantes could be heard moaning in the background.

Cervantes had also reached out to a family member, according to the probable cause statement.

She texted her daughter around 5 a.m., saying Gutierrez-Torres had a knife and to call the police. The daughter said she didn’t see the text until she woke up later.

Gutierrez-Torres was taken to a hospital that morning, where he underwent surgery and stayed for several days in the intensive care unit. Deputies booked him into the Box Elder County jail Friday afternoon.

He has been charged in 1st District Court with a first-degree felony count of murder and a class A misdemeanor count of unlawful possession of a dangerous weapon. Gutierrez-Torres is scheduled to appear in court Monday.