Man paroled 2 weeks ago from Utah prison arrested again in aggravated robbery

SALT LAKE CITY — A man who police say was released from prison just two weeks ago is in custody again after allegedly hitting several parked cars and threatening people with a knife.

The same man made headlines nearly a decade ago for his arrest in connection with a high profile child murder investigation in Draper. Despite being a suspect for months, he was never charged and police later conceded they had arrested the wrong man.

Daniel Robert Lehi Ferry, 42, was arrested Tuesday for investigation of aggravated robbery, failing to stop at the command of police, failing to remain at the scene of an accident involving injury and failing to notify police of hitting an unattended vehicle.

Ferry was driving a car near 500 North and 1400 West when police say he “struck parked vehicles.” Residents in the area helped Ferry out of his wrecked car. But he then ran off “and was chased by individuals who attempted to help him. (Ferry) was last seen covered in blood,” according to a police booking affidavit.

While Ferry was trying to get away, he ran into a business at 1260 W. North Temple, displayed a knife and demanded that someone in the store give him their keys, according to police. Ferry became “frustrated,” however, when he didn’t receive any car keys and ran out of the building.

Shortly after leaving the business, Salt Lake police spotted Ferry and ordered him to stop. Ferry again ran off, but was arrested a short time later, the affidavit states. He was taken to a local hospital to be treated for undisclosed “self-inflicted injuries” before being booked into jail.

Police say Ferry, who has a long criminal history, including kidnapping, drug-related crimes and assault, was “paroled from the Utah Department of Corrections approximately two weeks ago,” the affidavit says.

In 2012, Ferry was arrested for investigation of murder, in connection with the killing of 15-year-old Anne Grace Kasprzak, whose body was found near the Jordan River. But Ferry steadfastly maintained his innocence and he was never charged in connection with her death. In 2013, one year after Kasprzak’s murder, police announced that Ferry was no longer considered a suspect.

It wasn’t until 2014 when the real killer, Darwin Christopher Bagshaw, who was 14 at the time of Kazprzak’s death, was arrested and then pleaded guilty to murder in 2016.