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Homicide detectives arrest suspect in death of 30-year-old woman in Salt Lake City

Posted at 4:45 PM, Dec 04, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-05 09:56:51-05

SALT LAKE CITY — Police announced Tuesday that a suspect has been arrested in connection with a homicide that occurred at a Salt Lake City motel on Oct. 8.

The Salt Lake City Police Department tweeted that Minh Dong Trinh was arrested by homicide detectives for the killing of 30-year-old Elizabeth Silver at the Main Street Motel.

A declaration of probable cause released in court stated that on Oct. 8 at around 2:38 a.m., police and EMT’s were called to the report of an unresponsive and not breathing female at the motel, which is located on 1530 S. Main St.

Police interviewed a witness at the scene, who stated that he saw Silver and a man, who was later identified as Trinh, “horse playing around.”

The witness then told police that the wrestling appeared to get rough, and he saw Trinh with one arm on Silver’s head and one arm on her neck, the probable cause statement said. Police said the witness then saw Silver slumped over. He went to sleep, and when he woke up she was in the same position and was not responsive, the declaration said. At that point, 911 was called.

Police stated that Tinh said that he and Silver went to the motel on Oct. 7 to do drugs. Tinh stated that he made advances on Silver, and offered her money or drugs for sex, but she refused, the declaration said. Tinh then told police he had left the room.

Following an autopsy, the Utah State Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the cause of Silver’s death to be asphyxiation, and that the manner of the death was a homicide.

A warrant was issued for Tinh’s arrest. He was located Tuesday and charged with Murder, a first-degree felony and aggravated sexual assault, which is also a first-degree felony.