WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah, Nov. 4, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — A woman nearly strangled and left in a car in West Valley City 20 days ago died on Friday morning. Her suspected attacker was charged with first-degree felony murder hours later.
Jeffery Allan Larson, 29, of Magna, was charged Friday in 3rd District Court with murder and with one count of obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony. Police believe Larson choked victim, Nisha Fnu, in the back of the car after the two had an argument on Oct. 15.
Larson reportedly grabbed Fnu by the neck twice, and then saw her eyes roll back and her body begin to shake as if she were having a seizure. Larson reportedly told investigators he tried to revive, Fnu, who was unconscious, and realized she “… was in bad shape.”
Larson reportedly left the crime scene, a Smith’s parking lot at 5620 W. 4100 South, and drove his car to West View Park, 4100 S. 600 West, then walked back to Smith’s to get Fnu’s car and take it to the park, where he moved the victim from his car to hers, and left.
Police say when Larson noticed Fnu’s car was still there the next day, he made an anonymous call to 911 from Fnu’s phone, then discarded it, later telling officers he was afraid because he was “going to get busted,” according to court documents. Investigators found the phone in a ditch.
Fnu was transported to a hospital, where doctors said her injuries were consistent with strangulation and anoxic brain injury (caused by low oxygen). She was put on life support, but her condition deteriorated, according to indictment documents. She died just before 7:30 a.m. Friday.
Larson was located after police called the phone number he had given to 911 dispatchers, and his grandmother answered, then recognized the recorded voice as that of her grandson.
Larson is being held in the Salt Lake County Jail on $1 million bail.
