CASTLE DALE, Utah, July 24, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — An Emery County man has been booked into jail after another man at his residence was found dead with signs of a severe beating.
Zachary James Tuttle, 37, was booked into the Emery County jail on Sunday following the Saturday incident.
An officer of the Emery County Sheriff‘s Office was dispatched to a Castle Dale business about a block away from the scene, and met with a juvenile who said Tuttle had been fighting with another male at his residence because the other man refused to drink alcohol.
The argument turned physical, and Tuttle “was beating the male pretty bad,” the child told the officer, according to court documents filed in Tuttle’s subsequent arrest. The child, who also reported being struck by Tuttle, stated the belief that the other man was dead.
The officer sent the juvenile to the house of the child’s close relative who lived about a block away, then responded to Tuttle’s residence, Tuttle’s affidavit says.
“I knocked on the door and saw Zach coming toward the door from a hallway,” the court document says. “I know Zach from previous dealings with him. When Zach opened the door I noticed blood on his hands. … I asked about the blood on him and he said it was his. Zach stumbled and I had to hold him from falling because of being intoxicated. I asked Zach about the male subject who lived there and he stated that he was fine.”
The officer also observed blood on Tuttle’s shoes.
“At this time, I advised Zach that I was detaining him until I could figure out what was going on. After cuffing and searching Zach I placed him in my patrol vehicle. I made entry into the home and noticed a lot of blood in the hallway.”
The officer “noticed a male subject lying face up in a pool of blood. I tried to find a pulse on the neck of the male subject but was unable to find one. It appeared that the male subject had been beaten severely. His face and head had been caved in.”
An Emergency Medical Technician confirmed the victim was dead.
The responding officer and several additional ECSO officials secured the scene, and the responding officer transported Tuttle to the Emery County jail.
“I was advised that a can of soup appeared to be what was used by Zach to beat the male subject,” his charging documents say. “Zach also admitted to me that he had been drinking.”
Tuttle was arrested at 11:56 p.m., Saturday. He was jailed on suspicion of:
- Aggravated murder, a first-degree felony
- Obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony
- Child abuse with injury, a class A misdemeanor
- Intoxication, a class C misdemeanor
The Emery County attorney will determine the formal charges to be filed.
Tuttle was ordered held without bail.
