Salt Lake County DA

Today, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill announced charges have been filed for the June 19th Memory Grove Brush Fire in Salt Lake City. The defendant is charged with: • 1 count Class A Misdemeanor Reckless Burning • 1 count Class A Misdemeanor Possession of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance • 1 count Class B Misdemeanor Use of Drug Paraphernalia “When conditions are extreme, all fires are potentially serious. These fires start quickly, spread furiously, and burn intensely. If you use fireworks or start a campfire, even if it is legal to do so, and you cause a wildland fire or the fire damages homes or structures or injures someone, we will file criminal charges against you and will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.” - Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill

Today, DA Gill was joined by @sandycitypolice and @nhutah for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. They talked about how many charges the SLCo DAO has seen related to elder abuse over the last 3 years, but also discussed keeping the seniors in our community engaged at places like the Neighborhood House and @SLCoGov Senior Centers as the most effective way to prevent elder abuse. Read more: slco.to/elder-abuse

We would like to take a moment to recognize our very own Asha Parekh for her receiving of the YWCA’s 2026 Outstanding Achievement Award! Asha is a visionary leader who has worked tirelessly to support victims of crime, refugees, immigrants, and marginalized communities. We are honored to have her a part of our team!

Today, SLCo DA Sim Gill announced a judge sentenced Kennedy Grant Lund to two life sentences without the possibility of parole for murdering 2 people in 2018. A judge sentenced the defendant to life without the possibility of parole on June 3, 2026, after passionate pleas for the maximum penalty from the victims' families during the sentencing hearing.

ICYMI: A 3rd District Court jury convicted Douglas Richard Milne on one count of a class A misdemeanor Negligent Homicide for the death of the SL Bees legendary announcer Steve Klauke. Klauke had been walking in a crosswalk when he was hit and killed by Milne Sentencing is set for August 27, 2026

Today, DA Gill was joined by the Utah Shattering Silence Coalition and Utah Coalition for Severe Mental Illness to bring a message from families for Mental Health Awareness Month. “Our loved ones need greater access to case management, employment services, peer support, and permanent supportive housing,” said Sherri Wittwer, Chair of the Utah Coalition for Severe Mental Illness. “Too often, families experience a system that is siloed and difficult to navigate, and as a result, their loved ones are criminalized instead of getting the treatment they need.” “What families want is simple and it’s achievable,” said Debra Widmer, Director of the Utah Shattering Silence Coalition. “Early intervention, evidence-based treatment, a system that acts before tragedy, not waiting for after. Utah Shattering Silence Coalition exists to ensure that family voice finds a seat at the table everywhere where these decisions are being made, not as a footnote but as a foundation.” Read more: slco.to/mentalhealth

Last week, the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office had the opportunity to host the Association of Prosecuting Attorney’s 7thNational Domestic Violence Conference. This annual conference brought in over 100 prosecutors, victim advocates, researchers, and subject matter experts to share best practices and ways to improve support to victims of domestic violence. Every year, the SLCo DA’s Office serves thousands of DV victims and we are committed to providing the best advocacy and support we can. Conferences like this one help train our prosecutors and social workers to take their support to the next level!

Former fire captain, Christopher David Burk, sentenced last week to prison for 2-30 years for sexually assaulting multiple women. On February 27, 2026, a jury found the defendant guilty of eight counts of second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse and guilty of one count of third-degree felony attempted forcible sexual abuse. Read more: slco.to/tcsupupe

DA Gill was joined by SLCo Youth Services Director & Sgt Rob Scott the Domestic & Sexual Violence Trainer w/ SLCo DAO to talk about sex assault and sex abuse on young people in our community. They spoke about the scale of the problem in SLCo and how the system is working together to fight it. Find out how you can help: slco.to/js7tlpdx

A volunteer group that works closely with the Salt Lake County District Attorney and Sheriff’s Offices has stepped up to make sure a beloved program continues for years to come. Read more: ksltv.com/?p=900789 🎤 + 🖊️: Debbie Worthen, KSL 📷: Greg Anderson, KSL

DA Gill recently joined with community partners at the SLCo CJC to celebrate the unveiling of a wall of butterflies to recognize organizations that have contributed to facilitating the mission of the CJC. At the ribbon cutting event, organized by the Friends of the CJC, community partners saw first-hand how their donations of at least $10,000 (often much more) make our county safer. They learned that their involvement helped make it possible so young survivors and witnesses of crime have a welcoming environment where they can go and be interviewed about their traumatic experience. They met CJC staff to learn why the model of the CJC is vital to strengthening prosecution of crimes involving kids.

Last week, District Attorney Sim Gill joined Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, Utah’s Promise CEO Bill Crim, and Salt Lake City School District Superintendent Elizabeth Grant to commit to My Brother’s Keeper Promise SLC. This is a promise to centering and improving outcomes for young men of color and other youth historically underserved by public systems. We are grateful to be joining together with these institutions and for making the commitment to helping the youth of Salt Lake City succeed and thrive!

Last week, the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office had the opportunity to host SLCPD’s Police Explorers at our office for a training on the criminal justice system. DA Sim Gill and his leadership team spent a few hours with these future law enforcement officers as they dove deep on how the system works, what it means to be a prosecutor, and ways that we can keep our community safe.

When law enforcement respond to a sexual assault, they often need to collect the victim’s bedsheets as part of the evidence process. For many households – especially those with limited resources – this can create an unexpected hardship. To help ease that burden, the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, in partnership with Sandy City Police Department, is hosting a bed linen drive throughout the month of April. It’s a small gesture, but one that can offer comfort, dignity, and a sense of care when needed the most. We are asking for your support through donations of new, unused bed sheet sets (any size). Drop-Off Locations: Sandy City Police Department - 10000 S Centennial Parkway | Sandy, UT 84070 Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office - 8090 S 1825 W | West Jordan, UT 84088 Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office - 35 E 500 S | Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Today, a Third District Court judge sentenced Christian Cody Facer to prison for a crash that killed a beloved member of the Salt Lake County Community and founder of Mim’s Bakery, Thy Vu Mims. See our website for additional details.

For the last two days, the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office has hosted a critical conversation on strangulation investigations for nearly 100 law enforcement partners, prosecutors, and social workers. Strangulation is a leading risk factor regarding domestic violence homicides. Victims who experience non-fatal strangulation by an intimate partner are 750% more likely to be murdered by that partner in the future. Salt Lake County is dedicated to preventing domestic violence homicides and training our law enforcement officers about the danger of strangulation is one step to accomplishing those goals. Information is power! We are grateful to our partners for keeping our community safe!

Charges filed against Johnny Brickman Wall. Read more: slco.to/rfia6dll

A Third District Court jury found Pirawn Yohan Mula guilty of the 2024 murder of a 28-year-old man, P.J., at a Murray apartment complex. The trial started March 11 and lasted three and a half days, concluding on Monday, March 16. After deliberating for less than three hours, the jury returned a guilty verdict on all charges. Sentencing is set for May 4, 2026.

A Third District Court judge sentenced Samuel Shroy Martindale to 15 years to life for 1 count of 1st-degree felony aggravated kidnapping and 0-5 years for each of 2 counts of 3rd-degree felony aggravated assaults. Read more on the allegations: slco.to/aggkidnap-15-l…

Today, DA Gill announced that after reviewing all body camera and other investigative material for the 1-3-2025 multi-agency OICI in South Jordan, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office is declining to file charges. Read more about what lead to the OICI here:slco.to/84ribifj