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Five charged with murder after victim in assault in Duchesne County dies

Posted at 2:42 PM, Apr 26, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-26 16:42:36-04

ROOSEVELT, Utah — Five suspects in a burglary and assault near Roosevelt are now facing murder charges after the victim died Sunday from her injuries.

Sherry Lynn Melo, 51, died Sunday at a hospital in Provo from injuries she suffered during an alleged burglary and assault at her home in Roosevelt April 6.

The Duchesne County Sheriff’s Office stated Thursday that in light of Melo’s death, charges of attempted aggravated murder against five people have been amended to aggravated murder.

The amended murder charge is in addition to existing charges of aggravated assault and aggravated burglary.

The five accused are 35-year-old Thomas Neil Tuinman, 33-year-old Stephanie Tuinman, 30-year-old Michael Wallace Tuinman, 30-year-old Samantha Tuinman and 29-year-old Byron Rashad Thompson.

All five remain in the Duchesne County Jail, and bail has been set at $50,000 cash only each as a result of the amended charges.

Police previously stated that Melo and her husband were injured when the five suspects broke down the couple’s front door, chased them outside and then attacked them. Meol told police one of the female suspects struck her in the head with a bat, click here for more on the attack.