LEHI, Utah, Oct. 9, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — An 85-year-old Lehi man arrested Friday after admitting to the bludgeoning death of his wife has died in custody.
Ronald J. Morgan experienced medical problems Saturday while in jail, Sgt. Spencer Cannon, Utah County Sheriff spokesman, told Gephardt Daily.
A deputy assigned to Morgan’s area of the jail called a nurse, who called an ambulance, Cannon said. Morgan was transported to Intermountain Utah Valley Hospital, where he died in custody later the same day.
Cannon said the nature of the medical problems “will remain unspecified for now,” adding an autopsy will be conducted on Morgan to determine his cause of death.
“He was an old guy, and whether it’s just age related or a pre-existing condition, or related to the incident he was accused of, I don’t know.”
Cannon added that an officer-involved critical incident team will conduct an investigation, since Morgan’s was an in-custody death.
Lehi police who were called to the scene Friday said they found Morgan covered with blood, according to court documents.
“The victim’s husband was identified as Ronald Morgan. Officers also advised that Ronald had made the excited utterance that he had killed her,” Morgan’s affidavit says.
“The victim was found deceased in her bedroom and appeared to have suffered multiple traumatic injuries. Ronald was transported to the hospital for treatment of his injuries. While entering the ambulance for transport, Ronald observed the victim’s family gathering outside the home. Ronald then yelled to them stating he had killed her.
“At the hospital, Ronald made multiple comments that were unsolicited by officers. Those comments were that he was exhausted because what he had done wasn’t as easy as shooting her.”
After his hospital release, Morgan was transported to the Lehi Police Station for an interview. Post Miranda, “Ronald explained that he had been frustrated for several months and that frustration had been building and building until he just lost it. I asked what he meant when he said he lost it. Ronald smirked and stated that he had killed her.”
Morgan described striking his wife, choking her and striking her in the head with items including a metal box, shoes and a wooden box. The wooden box broke from the force, he said.
“Ronald stated that prior to this incident he would get bad thoughts when he was frustrated with the victim,” the affidavit says. “Ronald later admitted that he must have thought about killing the victim when he was having those bad thoughts.”
The victim was found deceased, apparently from multiple blunt force injuries, the police statement says. T
Morgan was booked into jail for investigation of aggravated murder with a domestic violence enhancement, a first-degree felony.
