WEST JORDAN, Utah, Oct. 6, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — Court documents released after the arrest of 19-year-old Cody Elijah Ivory — charged in the shooting death Monday of 16-year-old Jacob Jeremy Hansen — share new details of what police say transpired.
An affidavit filed by an officer of the West Jordan Police Department says officers interviewed another suspect who told them Ivory had been at a church, smoking with others, when he stated his intention to go to the victim’s house and rob him.
Police were called to the scene at 10:24 a.m. Monday, the statement says, and “responded to a report of shots fired at a residence in West Jordan. The complainant reported that her juvenile son had just been shot. As officers responded, another caller reported they saw two unknown-race male subjects, wearing all back, running eastbound from the area.
“Officers arrived on scene and located the victim laying on the ground with what appeared to be a gunshot wound.” They then found a handgun on the ground and three spent shell casings outside the front door, according to the affidavit.
“Medical personnel arrived on scene and began treating the victim. The victim was transported to IMC Hospital and later pronounced deceased.”
Surveillance footage from a nearby house shows three subjects walk to the residence, from the west, before approaching the front of the home. One of the suspects circled to the back of the house, and two stood at the front door.
“A short time later, after standing at the front door, two subjects are observed running away from the residence, eastbound.”
A search warrant served on the victim’s home turned up cellphones, multiple firearms, spent shell casings, drug paraphernalia and controlled substances.
“Detectives interviewed a subject who gave information that led to the location of the suspect’s girlfriend,” the probable cause statement says. “Detectives interviewed another subject who said the suspect was at a church with a group of people before the homicide happened. The subject said the suspect showed the group a gun and stated he was going to go look for the victim and rob him.”
Officers went to the residence of the female identified as the suspect’s girlfriend, and “detectives observed a tall black male matching the suspect’s physical description, dressed in a red hoodie, and a female, in the area of the suspect’s girlfriend’s house,” Ivory’s probable cause statement says.
“Detectives believed the male observed was the suspect. Officers conducted a traffic stop and it was discovered the driver was a driver for LYFT. The rear passenger was taken into custody and identified as the suspect.”
Ivory was ultimately booked into the Salt Lake County Jail and faces initial charges of:
- Criminal homicide, a first-degree felony
- Felony discharge of a firearm, a first-degree felony
- Obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony
The suspect’s girlfriend told officers Ivory had called her at about 3:15 p.m. and “said he had something big to tell her,” the probable cause statement says. “The suspect’s girlfriend said he asked if she had seen the news and then sent her a news article about a West Jordan man shot and killed.”
The girlfriend said Ivory came to her house and she went on a walk to talk with him.
“The suspect’s girlfriend said she and the suspect had an argument and she went back to her house without him,” Ivory’s probable cause statement says. “The suspect’s girlfriend said she received a FaceTime from the suspect and saw that he was crying and talked about how his life was over.”
The suspect asked to meet the girl again, the statement says. The girlfriend later told police that Ivory said he had killed someone, and he saw a news article stating there was video of the shooting.
“The suspect’s girlfriend said she was shocked by his statement, and she didn’t know what she should do. The suspect’s girlfriend said, while she was with him, the suspect also called his sister and told her that he shot someone. The suspect’s girlfriend said the suspect forced her to erase all of their text messages and communication on her phone concerning this incident.”
Police approached the girlfriend’s house, and that’s when they saw a man who fit Ivory’s description run out of the house and get into a car, the statement says.
Ivory was taken to the police department for questioning, the statement says.
“Post Miranda, the suspect admitted that he was involved in the shooting that killed the victim. The suspect said he was carrying a Glock and went to the victim’s house looking for work. Based on my training and experience, the suspect was referring to purchasing illegal substances from the victim.
“The suspect said the victim answered the door and told him to leave. The suspect said he blocked the door with his arm and agreed the victim probably thought he was trying to make entry into the victim’s home. The suspect said the victim shot at him and he shot back at the victim.”
Ivory is being held without bail due to the seriousness of the crime, the evidence, and the fact that he reportedly told a friend he had intended to flee to St. George.
