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Arizona man is charged with killing southern Utah man

Suspect is arrested in Arizona and faces extradition to Utah.

The Salt Lake Tribune

An Arizona man has been arrested and charged in the killing of a southern Utah man.

Jason Thomas Bates, 38, of Page, Ariz., was charged in 6th District Court with murder and two counts of discharge of a firearm with serious bodily injury, first-degree felonies; aggravated assault, a second-degree felony; and possession of a firearm by a restricted person, a third-degree felony.

According to the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, Matthew Wayne Young, 49, was found dead on his property in Church Wells on April 13. The charges against Bates state that he shot Young “in the back, causing serious bodily injury. A few seconds later, while the victim was face down on the ground,” Bates allegedly shot Bates again “at close range in the back of the head.”

Police have not released any information about what led up to the killing.

Kane County Sheriff’s Office detectives and officers from the U.S. Marshall’s Service arrested Bates in Flagstaff on Monday. He is being held in the Coconino County jail, pending extradition to Utah.

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