SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, May 24, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office on Wednesday filed a first-degree felony murder charge against Keith Klingenberg in the death of his wife, Bernadean Klingenberg, at their home in West Valley City on June 11, 1995.
When Mr. Klingenberg originally reported his wife’s death, he told a 911 dispatcher that she had taken her own life by slashing her own throat, a statement from the Salt Lake City DA’s office says.
“At the time, the medical examiner classified the manner of death as undetermined,” the statement says. “West Valley City Police and the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office jointly reactivated the case in 2016. Several factors lead to that decision including statements by Mr. Klingenberg to 911, witness information, and further analysis of the scene by experts.”
DA Sim Gill commented in the statement.
“Although 28 years is a long time to wait for justice, the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office will always seek justice for victims. We hope this helps Bernadean’s loved ones begin to find a sense of closure in her death. We’d like to thank our partners at the West Valley City Police Department for helping ensure we have the necessary evidence and information to prosecute this case.”
The filing has not yet appeared in online court records. Multiple news reports at the time quote WVCPD officials as saying the victim, 40, had multiple stab wounds. A Utah Department of Public Safety cold case listing says Bernadean Klingenberg’s body was found by her husband in their bedroom.
Anyone with any information in Bernadean Klingenberg’s death is asked to call the West Valley City Police Department at 801-965-5200 or email [email protected].
