WOODS CROSS, Utah, March 6, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — A suspect is facing a charge of second-degree felony manslaughter after he allegedly punched a man at a Woods Cross hotel, and the victim subsequently died.
A probable cause statement from the 2nd District Court in Farmington said Ross Alan Letham, 31, was arrested Wednesday morning and booked into Davis County Jail.
Officers responded Monday to a report of an aggravated assault which had just occurred at the InTown Suites, at 635 S. 700 West, in Woods Cross.
“Upon arrival the victim was found unconscious and was transported to the hospital in critical condition,” the statement said. “At that time he was transported to Lakeview Hospital and then transferred to the University of Utah due to his condition. We were told that the victim was most likely not going to survive.”
The victim was pronounced dead Tuesday afternoon at the University of Utah Medical Center as a result of his injuries from the assault.
The assault started when the victim was in the hallway of the motel talking on the phone with his girlfriend, the statement said.
“The suspect came out of his room and was yelling at the victim to keep it down,” the statement went on. “The victim was later in the back of the motel where he was again confronted by Ross who was threatening to fight him. At some point the suspect punched the victim who went down and went unconscious.”
The victim in this case was a stranger to Letham.
Upon arrival, officers found that the suspect involved had fled the scene.
Letham was observed on camera entering the motel prior to the assault and leaving after prior to law enforcement and medical arriving, the statement said. Letham was staying in the motel with his girlfriend, who was on scene when law enforcement arrived, but was not cooperating.
The victim’s cousin told police he had heard a woman, later identified as Letham’s girlfriend, telling Letham to run so he wouldn’t get in trouble.
During a later interview of Letham’s girlfriend, she admitted to telling Letham to leave, but would not tell officials any further details regarding her boyfriend’s involvement.
Letham was interviewed, and told police he left the motel to get cigarettes and when he returned he observed law enforcement there.
Letham said that after leaving, he did not re-enter the motel building, and that didn’t know about the fight until his girlfriend told him.
“Upon further investigation it was determined that the suspect was Ross Letham by physical description, circumstances, photo identification, and by video surveillance,” the statement said.
A witness identified Letham from video surveillance as the person involved in the fight, and the victim’s cousin positively identified the suspect from a photo lineup as the suspect involved in the fight.
Letham has a lengthy criminal history, the probable cause statement said. His bail has been set at $25,000.
