ENOCH, Utah — The Iron County Attorney has filed formal charges against Ethan Galloway and Michael Hess-Witucki for their alleged connection to the death of 17-year-old KayLee Dutton. Two of the pair's roommates are also facing charges in the case.
The shooting happened Friday near the intersection of Midvalley Road and 4300 West around 10:30 p.m. Two teen girls, including Dutton who later passed away at the hospital, were driving in the area when they allegedly started being followed by the suspects.
Investigators say that the suspect would pull alongside the teen's vehicle and fire into it causing Dutton to lose control and crash through a fence.
The four suspects were arrested Saturday afternoon following an hours-long investigation. The surviving passenger gave officers a description of the suspects' vehicle and the location where they first confronted them.
Galloway and Hess-Witucki are now charged with 17 counts including murder, felony discharge of a firearm, obstruction of justice, and possession of controlled substances.
In a post-Miranda interview, Hess-Witucki admitted to driving the vehicle and pursuing the victims to the scene. Galloway also admitted to firing 12 rounds into the vehicle.
The suspects told police they pursued the victims because they believed they had been stalking them after observing their vehicle in their neighborhood. The investigation found that the victims and the vehicle were in the area for unrelated reasons.
Hess-Witucki and Galloway's roommates, Aldric Felipe and Mathew Sorber-Petrie, have also been charged with obstruction of justice, possession of controlled substances, and possession of a firearm by restricted persons.
The Iron County Attorney Chad Dotson released a statement about the charges saying, "We mourn the tragic loss of the 17-year old who was killed simply doing what all teenagers should be free to safely do on a Friday night in our community. Our prayers are with the family and friends whose lives are forever changed after this weekend. We will aggressively prosecute these cases and seek justice. I am grateful for the hard work of the Iron County Sheriff’s Office, and so many other agencies who lent support and resources to investigate this tragedy.”
