SANDY, Utah, Oct. 25, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — The fourth suspect in an aggravated kidnapping case in Sandy earlier this month has been taken into custody.
John Ewing, 19, voluntarily met with detectives at the Sandy Police Department, Tuesday at approximately 8:45 p.m., according to a news release from spokesman Sgt. Jason Nielsen.
Ewing was interviewed regarding the case, and subsequently booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on suspicion of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery and aggravated assault. Formal charges will be determined by the District Attorney’s office.
A news release Tuesday said four males, two adults and two juveniles, allegedly kidnapped the victim as he was leaving work at Chinese restaurant Fortune Cuisine, 652 E. 9400 South, at about 9:10 p.m. Oct. 10.
A probable cause statement from the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office said the incident was a “revenge plot” on the victim, planned by one of the suspects, who was known to the victim, though the statement redacts the name of the suspect. Nielsen said the victim was only known to one of the suspects, not the others.
When the victim exited his place of work, he was immediately assaulted by Ewing and one of the juveniles, the probable cause statement said. “The male juvenile carried a large butcher knife and sliced the victim on the hand. John Ewing was armed with a black semi-automatic handgun. He placed the handgun to the back of the victim’s head. The victim was then bound with packing tape, with his hands behind his back.”
The victim was stabbed multiple times and forced to give up his credit card and PIN number. Ewing was captured on a security camera near the restaurant as well as at a Zions Bank and a Maverik. “The victim was placed in the back of his own vehicle and Ewing stole the victim’s vehicle,” the probable cause statement continues. “The pair drove across the street and met up with the other suspects. The four then drove to a Maverik in Kearns and attempted again to use the victim’s credit card.”
Ewing then drove the stolen vehicle to 9500 West and Interstate 80 and left the victim near the Great Salt lake, where he was later found by the Utah Highway Patrol.
Detectives located the victim’s vehicle the following morning, and were able to apprehend Eduardo Miranda, 18, and a second, juvenile suspect. On Oct. 18, detectives were able to apprehend the other juvenile suspect. Miranda was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail, and the two juveniles were booked into the detention center.
Detectives were able to obtain a photo of the outstanding suspect from one of the ATM cameras, and released that to the media.
