Woman fatally shot in Pleasant Grove; police say her son is now in custody
May 20, 2022, 7:17 AM | Updated: 7:48 pm
PLEASANT GROVE, Utah — A 40-year-old woman was shot and killed late Thursday night, and police say her 21-year-old son has been arrested.
Officials with the Pleasant Grove Police Department said officers responded to a report of gunshots in the area of 200 West and 200 North around midnight.
Police arrived on scene and found an SUV in the road. Britt Smith, Pleasant Grove PD Captain, said a woman’s body was laying outside the car on the roadway.
She was identified Friday afternoon as 40-year-old Nicki Dinehart.
Police identified the body as a 40-year-old woman.
A little later, they took a 21-year-old suspect into custody, booking him Utah County Jail.
⚠️Turns out, the suspect, also happpens to be the son of the woman who died. @KSL5TV
— Karah Brackin (@KB_ON_TV) May 20, 2022
A short time later, officers received a report of a suspicious male in the cemetery, near 500 North and 100 East. They contacted the man, who identified himself as the 21-year-old son of the deceased woman.
Police say the man, later identified as 21-year-old Gage Anthony Dinehart, admitted “that he had been involved in a crime,” and the two had reportedly been fighting earlier in the day.
“We know they had their fair share of arguments. Who’s to say it was more than the average son and mom? I think all family members argue to a certain extent, but of course, this is extremely tragic,” Smith said.
Officers located a handgun and other clothing near the man before he was taken into custody.
“He essentially turned himself in,” Smith said.
In court documents investigators said that Gage told officers: “I shot my mom” and told them where to find the gun.
He’s been booked into jail for investigation of murder and obstruction of justice.
Jeffrey Lee, a neighbor down the street, was home when the activity started to unfold.
“I was working in my office… just heard four gunshots go off. You know as soon as I hear ’em go off, I just kind of tensed up. I knew what it was, and wasn’t quite sure what to do,” Lee said.
Police say video surveillance shows the mother and son getting into an SUV and that you then hear three gunshots.
An eyewitness then reported that the woman was shot again on the ground.
Police write in the affidavit of probable cause that: “The husband stated Gage was agitated and demanding money from his mother. The victim told her husband she was leaving to go to the bank and take Gage back to the bar.”
“It’s crazy,” said neighbor Dallin Brower. “It’s terrifying to know someone died 30-ish feet away from where we sleep.”
Smith said when officers got to the area and found Nicki, “She had obviously been shot to death and was deceased.”
Police says they have the vehicle and are now waiting for the crime scene team to go through and process it while they continue collecting evidence and conducting more interviews.
Today @12 – what police say the woman and man had been reported of doing earlier that day@KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/FpQvUE4uAQ
— Karah Brackin (@KB_ON_TV) May 20, 2022
The police captain said they have the vehicle and are waiting for the crime scene team to go through and process it while they continue collecting evidence and conducting more interviews.
