PROVO, Utah, July 27, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — A suspect charged earlier this month with the murder of a Weber County man now faces a second murder charge in the death a day earlier of a Utah County man.
Christian Francis Taele, 28, is charged with the first-degree felony murder of Spanish Fork resident Ryan Hooley on or about July 8.
Ogden
On July 9, Taele was arrested in Ogden and charged with the attempted aggravated murder of a 23-year-old man who was beaten and hung from gym equipment in an apartment building at 2433 Adams Ave.
The charge was updated to murder when the man, who had no brain activity, was removed from life support and died.
It was after the Ogden arrest that Taele admitted to the Spanish Fork murder, his Ogden City Police probable cause statement says.
“Christian stated that he killed both the victim in Spanish Fork and in Ogden because he was directed to by a higher power and to ‘purge’ the city,” his Ogden probable cause statement says. “He currently presents a danger to the public and has stated that he feels no remorse for the killings.”
Spanish Fork
The newly filed Spanish Fork Police probable cause statement says that officers were called to the scene, 413 E. 1000 North, at approximately 6:16 a.m. July 8.
“When officers arrived, they found a deceased male behind a local business,” the statement says. “The male was identified as Ryan Hooley (‘Victim’). Officers found blood in multiple locations in the area. The medical examiner reported that Victim suffered blunt force trauma and a stab wound. It was determined the manner of death was homicide. Surveillance video from a nearby business captured the person believed to be the suspect, and officers determined the homicide occurred earlier that morning after midnight.
“On July 9, 2022, Spanish Fork officers received a phone call from the Ogden Police Department. They reported they had a male in custody by the name of Christian Francis Taele who admitted that he had murdered the Victim in Spanish Fork.”
A Spanish Fork Police sergeant and two detectives drove to Ogden and, “Post-Miranda, Taele admitted that he punched and beat up Victim before stabbing him. Taele stated he did not know Victim but intended to kill him. After he killed Victim, he went home.”
Taele remains in the Weber County jail and is being held without bail.
