Buzz Blog

"Don't Say a Word" LaDawn Prue

Kenneth Glen Roberts first entered the criminal justice system in 1963 and originally went to prison for kidnapping and rape in 1979. In 1982, he was released to a halfway house, which closed during the Christmas holidays due to overcrowding. It was Christmas Eve and Roberts was released to spend Christmas with his wife. He went to his wife’s home and left with a gun.  He drove to Sandy,  and shot LaDawn Prue in the neck and back  After leaving her lying on the street calling for help, he then robbed another woman at gunpoint and kidnapped still  another - all within eight hours. A shootout with police ended his crime spree. In 1990, he held  prison officer Joe Hughes hostage for more than two hours during a standoff  in which he made repeated threats to kill Hughes unless his demands were met. Hughes was eventually released unharmed after prison officials agreed to consider Roberts’ complaints and to give the press his version of the incident. Roberts  has been convicted of attempted murder, kidnapping, rape, aggravated robbery and burglary. He is now serving five five-to-life terms and two 1-to -15 year terms in the Utah State prison. (Carolyn Campbell)

"A Splinter in Your Eye" Dave Acosta

Dave Acosta was never shot by the man he arrested; he was shot by an errant bean bag round that was spliced open on a fence and a pellet hit his eye. When I asked Acosta about the suspect, he said, "A few days after the incident a detective took me to see a taped interview about the incident with the man when was he was sober. This guy was so remorseful, he didn't even know what happened, that he had attacked me, been knocked out, admitted to the hospital twice and he was almost killed. He was so apologetic, a completely different person. Later on, he plead guilty, but it wasn't attempted murder, by any means. He got probation, community service and hardly any jail time." (Austen Diamond)

"I'm God and You're Dead" Tracy Armstrong

Jasson Hines is serving a sentence of four years to life in the Utah State prison for shooting Tracy Armstrong. (CC)

"Spider Break" Travis Morgan Don Trujillo was convicted of attempted aggravated murder, and was sentenced to six years to life in the Utah State prison. He was also convicted of burglary, and is serving a 1 to fifteen year sentence for that conviction. He is also serving an indeterminate term for being convicted of tampering with evidence. He is currently asking to withdraw his plea. (CC)

"I Carry Her With Me" Carolyn Tuft
After Sulejman Talovic’s shooting spree at Trolley Square, five people were shot dead and four were wounded. He carried a shotgun and a handgun. His backpack was filled with additional ammunition. He was finally stopped after he traded shots with off-duty police officer Kenneth Hammond of the Ogden City Police Department and Sgt. Andrew Oblad of the Salt Lake City Police Department. Talovic was cornered and was shooting at officers, until an active shooter contact team composed of Salt Lake City PD SWAT team members arrived and shot him. (CC)