TOOELE, Utah, May 15, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — Police have arrested a suspect in connection with the homicide of Matthew Holt, who was shot on Easter in a parking lot in South Salt Lake.
A probable cause statement from Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office said an off-duty South Salt Lake officer who lives in Tooele spotted a vehicle that matched the description of the suspect’s, a 2012-2016 silver Chevrolet Sonic Hatchback, Sunday night at approximately 10 p.m. The SSLPD had previously released three photos of the Chevrolet from surveillance video.
Tooele County Sheriff’s Office and Tooele Police responded to the area of Quebec Circle to make contact with the driver. South Salt Lake investigators were called out to look at the vehicle and talk to him. Early Monday morning 35-year-old Jeffery Ray Shepherd, from Tooele, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail.
The probable cause statement said after being read his Miranda rights, Shepherd admitted to demanding and taking money from the victim at gunpoint then shooting him.
“He then picked up the spent shell casing at the scene, washed blood from his car and disposed of the casing, gun and his clothing,” the statement goes on.
Shepherd faces charges of first-degree felony murder, first-degree felony aggravated robbery with serious bodily injury and second-degree felony tampering with evidence. He has not yet been formally charged and the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office will be screening the case.
Holt, 46, was shot in a parking lot near the area of 3200 South 900 West.
That’s my kids dad! I could have used that money for my son..I would have turned him in if I had of known…now what do I say to my baby boy.