Ivins Man Accused Of Murdering Wife While Children Were At Home
May 23, 2021, 6:04 PM | Updated: Jul 11, 2023, 8:05 pm
Police say they arrested a man Friday in the investigation of a violent murder in West Valley City. (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
IVINS, Utah — A Utah man was arrested for allegedly shooting and killing his wife in Ivins after she told him she was leaving him, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
The incident happened at a home near 1000 South and 300 East just before 6 p.m. Friday.
According to the statement, dispatch informed officers while en route that the 911 caller said Steven Smith shot his wife.
When officers arrived, they found a 49-year-old woman had sustained several gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Smith, 59, was found at the scene and taken into custody without incident. Police observed Smith had blood on his hands and clothes, according to the probable cause statement.
Furthermore, witnesses allegedly told officers they entered the home after hearing gunshots. They saw the victim on the ground as Smith went into another room.
According to the probable cause statement, the witness fought with Smith and he told them, “I’m done, I have nothing else.”
The witness also told officers that Smith wandered around the home while they were attending to the victim.
Officers said the witness also saw a handgun belonging to Smith sitting on a nearby cabinet.
The firearm was later found in a closet in Smith’s bedroom. Arresting documents state it had “blood on the grip.”
Smith was interviewed and subsequently booked into the Washington County Jail on a murder charge, according to Sgt. Reed Briggs with the Santa Clara-Ivins Police Department.
According to the arresting documents, Smith told officers he was “angry with the victim.” He left the home and withdrew a large sum of money. Smith then returned to the home and told “anyone that was not family to leave.”
Smith allegedly told officers he could not remember what happened between that point and when officers arrived.
There were children around 15-years-old inside the home, but Briggs said it was unclear if any of them actually witnessed the shooting.
The woman’s identity has not been released.
