Woman Killed After Meeting Suspect On Tinder In Layton

LAYTON, Utah – A 24-year-old Davis County man was taken into custody on murder charges after he called police to report he had killed a woman he met the previous night on a dating app.

Officials with the Layton Police Department said 911 emergency dispatchers received a call at 3:19 a.m. Sunday.

The call, they said, was from the suspect, identified as Ethan Hunsaker. The caller told dispatchers he had killed a person inside his home in the area of 1300 North Reid Avenue.

Karina Mata and Cesar Haro are neighbors of Hunsaker’s.

They said it was early Sunday morning that their mom rushed into their room after hearing what sounded like banging noises coming from the neighbor’s home.

“She heard like – it sounded like the closing of a door, or we’re not – she’s not sure what it was,” said Cesar.

“By the time she was in the kitchen, there was cops and ambulances here already,” said Karina.

When officers arrived on the scene, they found Hunsaker and a 25-year-old woman on the floor. They said she had multiple stab wounds to the torso.

Hunsaker told officers he didn’t know the 25-year-old victim’s last name, and that he had met her just hours before on the dating application Tinder.

#JUSTIN: Disturbing details of tragic murder- Suspect told officers he strangled & stabbed 25yo woman hours after meeting on #Tinder. A first name is listed for the victim, we‘ve blacked it out & will wait for official ID by @laytonpolice out of respect for her family. @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/DXUzvUYd4u

— Garna Mejia KSL (@GarnaMejiaKSL) May 24, 2020

“They went to a bar together and then back to the residence where it occurred,” said Sgt. Eric Smith with the Layton Police Department.

Property records indicate Hunsaker bought the home less than 2 years ago, but court documents said the home was empty and listed for rent.

He reportedly woke up next to the victim Sunday morning and strangled her. The victim fought back before the suspect stabbed her, according to court documents.

Officers attempted life-saving efforts, but were unable to revive the woman. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

“I never would’ve thought something like this would happen,” said Cesar. “I feel bad because I wish I would’ve heard something and tried to help in some type of way.”

The woman’s identity was not released.

Hunsaker was booked into the Davis County Jail on 1^st degree felony murder charges.

The motive behind the attack was unknown, but police said it appeared to have been unprovoked.

According to booking documents, Hunsaker also told dispatch he wanted police to kill him.

Officials said he allegedly suffers from mental illness, and has daily thoughts of suicide and murder.

Here is the media release for the homicide from early Sunday morning. The suspect is in custody, but anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact us. pic.twitter.com/Hc7zYUQ1uI

— Layton Police (@laytonpolice) May 24, 2020