HUNTSVILLE, Utah — The Weber County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in locating a homicide suspect.
Officers responded to a home in Huntsville a little after 9 p.m. Tuesday on a report of a possible gunshot victim.
Investigators determined a woman had been shot multiple times and have since been searching for her husband, Scott William Russell.
“It appears at this point that the deceased female was murdered inside the home,” said Lt. Cortney Ryan with the Weber County Sheriff’s Office. "She lived in this home with her husband, at this point in time we are looking for her husband, a Scott Russell.”
Russell is a 53-year-old white male with a shaved head and gray goatee. Investigators believe he is driving a black 2017 Toyota Land Cruiser with black rims. It has a Utah license plate with the number G143AP. Police say Russell is armed and dangerous. At first, investigators said he may be heading to Colorado, but later said they weren't sure where Russell might be.
When deputies arrived at the home, they took control of the scene until it was determined Russell was not there. When they entered the home, they found Russell’s wife deceased on the floor of the master bathroom of the residence. Investigators determined the woman had five separate gunshot wounds in the back of her body including one at the base of her skull. Eight 9 mm casings were located around the victim’s body with bullet holes also being located in the wall of the bathroom.
A firearm was not located near the victim, however, a 9 mm handgun was located embedded into the drywall of another bathroom down the hall from the master bedroom.
According to a probable cause statement, Russell’s son called Weber County dispatch just after 9 p.m. Tuesday and told them that Russell had shot his wife.
Russell’s son said he had received a call from Russell and that the older man was acting erratic and kept repeating things.
The son asked about Russell’s wife, and he called out to her and the son heard the woman speaking with Russell over the phone. The son then reported hearing Russell making noises he believed to be the sound of ammunition and a gun “cocking.” A sound was heard that was described as a door slamming and after some commotion and then silence, Russell came back to the phone.
At that point Russell said he had shot his wife, identified only as “G.R." in the probable cause statement. When the son asked if he was serious, Russell at first told him no, then told him that he was serious.
Russell said he wanted to travel to visit his son because “he would be going to prison." Russell then told his son he loved him, and ended the phone call by telling his son “I’ll see you in hell.”
Security camera footage from neighboring residences showed Russell leaving his residence in his personal vehicle shortly before the call was made to Weber Dispatch. Attempts were made to locate Russell in the area but were unsuccessful. Several firearms were located at the crime scene along with marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Russell is facing multiple charges including first-degree felony murder, four second-degree felony counts of discharging a firearm and causing injury in a domestic violence setting, a third-degree felony charge of purchasing, transferring, possessing or using a firearm by a restricted person as well as two misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.
“He is considered armed and dangerous at this time,” Lt. Ryan said. “We don’t know the mental state that he is in at this point in time but we are looking for him to talk to him about the incident that happened here last night.”
If you have any information about the suspect or this case, you’re asked to call the Weber County Sheriff‘s Office at 801-778-6631, or your local law enforcement agency.
