Inset, top to bottom: Jacob H. Johnson (Utah Department of Corrections) and Summer Tatiana Roney (Facebook). Background: The 7-Eleven where police say Johnson was arrested with Roney’s body in the backseat of his car (KSTU).
A 40-year-old man in Utah has been arrested for allegedly killing his girlfriend after authorities found her badly beaten body in the back of his car in a 7-Eleven parking lot.
Jacob Johnson was taken into custody on Tuesday and charged with one count of murder, court documents reviewed by Law&Crime show.
According to a probable cause affidavit, officers with the Herriman Police Department at 12:10 a.m. on Dec. 31 responded to an agency assist call from Saratoga Springs Police regarding “a DUI investigation where a deceased female was located inside the vehicle.” The vehicle in question was located in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven in the 15000 block of South Redwood Road in Bluffdale, Utah, which is about 25 miles south of Salt Lake City.
“While contacting the driver, the female victim was observed in the rear of the vehicle,” the affidavit states. “The driver was removed from the vehicle and detained. The victim had significant injuries and trauma that would be consistent with a homicide.”
Authorities quickly identified that driver as Johnson, who was placed in custody and transported to the Saratoga Springs Police Department for questioning. In a post-Miranda interview, Johnson allegedly admitted to inflicting at least some of the injuries on the victim.
“Johnson stated his relationship with the victim as intimate partners, currently living together in Herriman,” police wrote. “Johnson stated he was in a previous argument with the victim, stating that it was over with their relationship. When asked by officers if the victim had any injuries, Johnson stated physical trauma, but did not elaborate any further. When asked how the victim got into the vehicle, Johnson said he put her into the vehicle.”
An attorney representing the victim’s family identified her as Summer Tatiana Roney to Salt Lake City Fox affiliate KSTU. The attorney provided the station with the following statement:
“The family of Summer Tatiana Roney is heartbroken by her tragic and untimely loss. Summer was a vibrant, kind, and loving soul who touched the lives of everyone she met. She was deeply loved by her friends, family, and coworkers, who will always remember her infectious personality and the joy she brought into their lives. This senseless act has left an unfillable void in our hearts. We ask for privacy during this difficult time as we grieve and remember the incredible person Summer is.”
Johnson appeared before a judge on Thursday where the court found “substantial evidence” to support the murder charge against him, ultimately ordering him to be held without bond at the Salt Lake County Jail, KSTU reported.
Authorities sought a “higher than normal” amount for Johnson’s bond, citing to his “defiant attitude” and criminal history, Salt Lake City CBS affiliate KUTV reported. In addition to his latest arrest, Johnson has reportedly been convicted on charges of felony theft and burglary, aggravated robbery, and driving under the influence.
