WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah, Jan. 19, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — Armed police from multiple agencies took two people into custody early Saturday morning after they were discovered driving the Cadillac Escalade of a missing South Jordan man whose body was found hours earlier.
Forty-year-old David Stokoe had gone missing on Thursday, and police in his city had asked the Salt Lake City Police Department for help. SLCPD officers searched an apartment near Princeton Avenue and 900 East on Friday afternoon. The address was described as the last place Stokoe had been headed.
Police discovered “highly suspicious” evidence — the nature of which they did not disclose — that led them to issue an urgent public appeal for any information on the location of Stokoe and his car.
Stokoe found deceased
Just before 11 p.m., Salt Lake City police announced on Twitter that the body of Stokoe had been found.
“Sadly we are now investigating a #Homicide,” the statement says.
“David Stokoe has been located, deceased. Updates will be coming in the morning. Our condolences to family and friends. We will work hard to bring those responsible to #Justice.”
The SLCPD also issued a correction on the 2015 white Escalade’s license plate number. Shortly before 4 a.m. Saturday, the vehicle was spotted outside a 7-Eleven at 2320 S. Redwood Road.
Officers from the SLCPD, Metro Gang Unit, West Valley City and the Utah Highway Patrol took up positions around the 7-Eleven and waited for the Escalade to go mobile.
The takedown
The Escalade, carrying a male and female, headed north on Redwood Road. Officers deployed spikes, which the car avoided. The car stopped at a light at 2200 South and Redwood Road, and the man and woman were taken into custody at about 3:55 a.m.
Gephardt Daily was on the scene, but officers have not yet spoken about the arrest.
Gephardt Daily will have more information as soon as it becomes available.
