News

Actions

Police: Alleged Logan shooter left note, murders stem from jealous rage

Posted at 9:33 PM, Jul 14, 2014
and last updated 2014-07-15 16:23:02-04

LOGAN, Utah -- FOX 13 News has learned there was a third potential victim in Monday's apparent double-murder suicide near Utah State University.

Logan Police say the shooter is 23-year-old Jared Tolman, a Utah Guardsman.

Police say Tolman shot and killed 19-year-old Mackenzie Madden and 25-year-old Johnathon Sadler.

Investigators also believe Tolman may have tried to kill another young man before turning the gun on himself.

It appears to be the result of a jealous rage.

Logan Police say the shooter and victims knew each other and were friends at one point.

Jared Tolman graduated from Utah State with a political science degree in May and was a Utah Guardsman during his college years. He dated sociology student Madden but the two recently broke up.

Sadler recently met Madden, family friends say, and the two visited early Monday morning at Madden's university apartment when Tolman stormed in with an assault rifle.

"He had been sending some text messages to the female victim and he responded and it appears he opened fire on the male and female," said Logan Police Lt. Rod Peterson.

Neighbors heard multiple rounds fired.

"It was probably six times really fast and then it was quiet after that," said Ammon Neff.

Neighbor Derek Fisher said he heard a car screech away.

Police say after killing Madden and Sadler, the shooter wasn't finished.

Just before 1 a.m. Monday, he forced his way into a West Logan apartment where he may have intended to kill another young man who was involved with Madden.

"(He) kicked in the bedroom door and did not find that individual in his room because he was staying with family," Peterson said. "The two other roommates who were in their room."

The roommates hunkered down in their rooms.

Police say Tolman then used the assault rifle to end his life, enraged his ex-girlfriend moved on to other relationships and friendships.

"We believe Mr. Tolman was not comfortable with that and he left a suicide note in his home saying he was sorry and what he was about to do was selfish," Peterson said.

Friends and neighbors who knew Sadler grieved Monday, trying to make sense of what's been senseless.

"He hugged me in church yesterday just a good kid, just a really good kid," said Sadler family friend Gregg Miller.

"He was a kind and gentle spirit. He had a big stature but he was a very gentle and nice person," added the family's bishop, Steven Marcek.

A fund has been set up to help the Sadler family with funeral costs.

Click here for more information on the fund.

Madden was minoring in criminal justice and interned with Logan Police last fall.

Investigators say she was a wonderful person and ironically, during her internship, she studied how police agencies respond to active shooter scenarios.

Meanwhile, the Utah National Guard confirmed that Tolman was an equipment specialist, had never deployed and had been with the guard about five years.

Police say Tolman purchased the assault rifle, it was not issued by the military.