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Utah man convicted of murder in death of perceived rival

Douglas Dwayne Evans (Salt Lake County Jail photo)

A 34-year-old Utah man has been found guilty of first-degree felony murder in the fatal shooting of a perceived romantic rival in Kearns in 2014.

A 3rd District jury convicted Douglas Dwayne Evans late Friday of the murder charge, as well as first-degree felony aggravated burglary and second-degree felony possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person. The gun restriction was related to Evans' 2004 conviction for disarming a police officer, a first-degree felony.

Evans is slated to be sentenced on April 18 by 3rd District Judge Ann Boyden.

Prosecutors said Evans believed Theodore "Ted" Kelbach had slept with a woman he knew and went to the man's home at 5446 S. Nez Perce Drive (5080 West) on May 31, 2014. They alleged that when Kelbach answered a knock on the door, Evans shot him.

Kelbach, 49, was shot through the eye at close range and died soon after that.

pmanson@sltrib.com