SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah, Oct. 10, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — Unified Police have identified a man arrested in connection with the 2010 cold-case murder of South Salt Lake bookstore owner Sherry Black.
Taken into custody on Saturday was 29-year-old Adam Antonio-Spen Durborrow, of Orem. He is being held on suspicion of aggravated murder and aggravated burglary, each a first-degree felony.
Formal charges will be screened Tuesday by the District Attorney’s Office, Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera said at a news conference Saturday afternoon.
The 64-year-old Black was found beaten to death inside her South Salt Lake business on Nov. 5, 2010.
Durborrow, who goes by several aliases, was taken into custody on Saturday afternoon.
No previous charges appear in court records under his legal name.
Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera released a statement earlier, detailing the history of the case:
“At approximately 1:43 p.m. on Nov. 5, 2010 Ms. Black, age 64, was found beaten and stabbed to death in her business, B&W Billiards & Books located at 3466 S. 700 East in South Salt Lake. South Salt Lake Police Department (SSLPD) initiated a homicide investigation, with no signs of robbery or motive the investigation eventually went cold.”
The South Salt Lake Police Department invited UPD’s Cold Case Unit to support the investigation in 2013. UPD became the lead agency in 2018.
“During this time our agencies collaborated to review the evidence, find new leads, and interview witnesses,” Rivera’s statement says. “The diligent work of the detectives from both agencies over the last 10 years has resulted in today’s arrest.
“I want to thank the detectives, investigators, and many others from UPD, SSLPD, DA, the Utah Crime Lab, and Parabon Nanolabs for working together in common pursuit of justice for the Black family. Solving cold cases like this one is possible, in part, due to technological advancements.”
Rivera said later at a news conference that all involved were happy to give Black’s family some sense of closure after the senseless crime.
Gephardt Daily will have more information as details are released.
In 2017, UPD announced initial progress in the case, and a “DNA snapshot” of their suspect. To read that article, click here.
