PROVO, Utah, March 16, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — A 4th District Court jury needed less than a day Friday to find a Fillmore man guilty of aggravated murder in the Jan. 5, 2019, fatal shooting of Provo police officer Joseph Shinners.
After a morning of closing arguments and reading of jury instructions on the 9th day of trial, the jury late in the afternoon found Matt Frank Hoover guilty on all four counts.
In finding the 45-year-old guilty of aggravated murder, which carries the death penalty, the jury rejected lesser included offenses of murder, manslaughter, and negligent homicide, according to court files.
Hoover was also found guilty of evading police, unlawful possession of a firearm by a restricted person, and drug possession from the Jan. 5, 2019, deadly encounter with police.
Officer Shinners, 29, was mortally wounded while he and other officers converged just before 10 p.m. on the truck Hoover was sitting in outside a Bed, Bath and Beyond store in Orem, he a fugitive sought on outstanding warrants, police said at the time.
There was an exchange of gunfire and Shinners fell to the pavement. The three-year veteran of the force was rushed by fellow officers to the Utah Valley Hospital, where he died from his injuries a short while later.
Dozens of law enforcement officers and firefighters from across the county gathered at the hospital where they received the news of Shinner’s death. They ultimately formed a mile-long police procession to escort the slain officer’s body to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Taylorsville.
Listed as a Fillmore resident in court files, Hoover was homeless at the time of the fatal shooting. The drug charge stemmed from methamphetamine found in his vehicle.
Court files Friday night did not include dates for a sentencing hearing typically held in a capital case where the same jury will be asked to vote to execute Hoover.
Thursday’s defense motions for a mistrial, and dismissal of the case, alleging problems with a key prosecution witness, were denied. Those motions likely are grounds for the expected appeal of the verdict, typically mandatory in a death penalty case.
Kaylyn Shinner, Joseph’s widow, released the following statement after Friday’s verdict:
I am relieved to be done with this trial. Our justice system is not perfect and can never compensate for loss of my husband and my boys’ father, but I’m grateful for the system we have that gives consequences for breaking our laws and helps keep our society falling into chaos.
The verdict does not bring justice for me because you can never bring my husband back. I will miss him forever and feel the impact of his loss forever. My boys, and my entire family will feel the impact of this loss forever.
This verdict does show our society that there are consequences to bad choices, and that this is unacceptable to kill our police officers, who like Joe, are putting their lives on the line dealing with the worst of society. If you kill our officers, you will get the maximum sentence. Our police officers and their families need to know as a society we do not condone the killing of our police officers. I am so grateful that no matter how justice can’t be served, I know the kind of person my officer husband was. I know he is a hero and I am so proud of the way he lived.
I leave this trial with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for all of the support my family has received. I am grateful for the Utah County Chad Grunander, Tim Taylor, and their team, for their incredible work and dedication, making sure the facts of Joe’s murder are brought to light. I am thankful for my PD family and for all the support I’ve received from the community every day I am in amazed of the goodness and kindness of people.
Thank you.
Provo Police Chief Troy Beebe also released a statement, praising Officer Shinner’s police work and promising fellow officers with Provo PD would always be there to support his family.
In the five years since master Officer Joseph shiners was shot and killed on duty, our department has mourned, honored and remembered our fallen brother. We have stood with his family and quiet moments, and they’ve been afforded the privilege of sharing family milestones alongside them. We have witnessed some of the pain and difficulties that accompany the loss of their husband, dad, brother, and son.
The Provo Police Department stands with the Shinner family again today, at the close of this long-awaited court trial, recognizing the importance of accountability, and justice for Joe’s murder. Joe exemplified honor, integrity, and personal courage. He fought for justice. Joe lost his life while bravely protecting the lives of a fellow officer and citizen during the apprehension of an armed unwanted felon. The Provo Police Department will never forget Joseph Shinners
We wish to thank our fellow agencies, the Officer-Involved-Critical-Incident Protocol Team, investigators, and specialists, and the prosecution team for their professionalism, time and dedication to this case. We also wish to thank our community for their support for the Shinners family, and pray for the safety of those who choose selflessly who choose to selflessly serve and protect our society from evil every day.
