WEST JORDAN, Utah, April 18, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — West Jordan police have released the names of a married couple shot to death early Saturday in an altercation with an unknown assailant inside their residence.
The victims are Kathy Butterfield, 30, and Anthony “Tony” Butterfield, 31. Their three small children were not injured in the attack. The suspect or suspects remain at large.
“Our deepest condolences to their loved ones and those close to them. Investigation continues,” says a tweet from the WJPD. “We are working hard to solve this terrible crime!”
Sgt. J.C. Holt, West Jordan Police Department, told Gephardt Daily that police arrived shortly after a 1:15 a.m. call to dispatch, in which a neighbor said she heard gunshots and a woman screaming.
Officers responded to the scene, near 7000 South and 3200 West, and knocked on the door, Holt said. When no one answered, police went to the backyard and found Tony Butterfield, deceased. Entering the house, officers found Kathy Butterfield, 30, also dead. Both had been shot.
“There were also three kids inside the home, the oldest age 4, and down to infant,” Holt said. “They were not injured in any of this.”
The children are now in the care of family members, who “are fully cooperative and obviously upset, to get that phone call to come get the kids,” Holt said.
Family statement
Late Saturday afternoon, extended family members released the following statement on the death of Kathy and Anthony Butterfield:
The families of Tony and Katherine C. Butterfield are devastated by the sudden passing of their loved ones. Tony and Katherine were incredible Christ-like, kind, happy, and loving parents, children, siblings and friends. We mourn their loss, but are grateful for the sure knowledge we have that we will be with them again.
We hold no ill-will towards to the perpetrator(s) and pray for them and their families. We are grateful for the immediate and professional work of the West Jordan Police and other investigators, and are confident in their abilities to bring this case to resolution.
We ask for prayers for Tony and Katherine’s three sweet children, as well as for the many, many people who love Tony and Katherine. We are appreciative and overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and support we have received. Thank you.
A GoFundMe account has been established to help provide for the couple’s three young children.
The crime scene
Gephardt Daily was on the scene early Saturday, when police from multiple agencies were securing and searching the area. K-9s were brought in, but no suspect was located.
Police are following leads, but the identity and even the gender of the shooter or shooters has not been confirmed, Holt said.
There are signs an altercation took place prior to the shootings, he said, and the house had been “gone through.” The motive for the shootings is unknown, Holt said.
There is also evidence the shooter may have been injured with a knife. Police are asking that members of the public who know anything about the crime call dispatch, and even call in about anyone with a fresh knife injury that cannot be explained.
“We believe the suspect left the area in a car, but we don’t have information on that car,” Holt said. “We are trying to develop suspect information right now.”
Holt said police had not been called to the residence before, and the couple had no criminal history.
“It’s just a horrible case,” Holt said. “It’s just really awful.”
