The Salt Lake County District Attorney's office performs the function of prosecuting criminal charges for the residents of Salt Lake County, which includes the city of Murray. As of a press release dated February 18, 2026, Sim Gill was identified as the Salt Lake County District Attorney. The office is responsible for filing charges against individuals accused of criminal conduct, such as the aggravated arson case involving a fire at an apartment complex located at 4374 S. State Street in Murray.
According to a Salt Lake County District Attorney press release from February 18, 2026, the office announced the filing of a first-degree felony aggravated arson charge against William Fordyce. The charges were related to a fire that occurred on February 18, 2026, which caused approximately $250,000 in damages to the apartment complex. In that specific legal matter, Sim Gill stated that the office would work to deliver accountability for the Salt Lake County residents and businesses impacted by the alleged actions.
On February 20, 2026, the District Attorney's office filed several specific charges against the defendant. These included one count of first-degree felony aggravated arson, one count of second-degree felony property damage greater than $5,000, one count of class A misdemeanor criminal trespass, one count of class A misdemeanor fail to stop at command of law officer, one count of class A misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance, and one count of class B misdemeanor interfering with a peace officer. The investigation into the fire, which began in apartment 619, determined that combustible materials protruding from a dryer vent port had been ignited.
While the District Attorney handles the prosecution of these criminal cases, local law enforcement manages the initial investigations and reporting. According to the Murray City FAQ, the Murray Police Department provides various services to the community. For example, residents can obtain copies of crime reports by submitting a request in person to the police department. Each request is processed to ensure compliance with the GRAMA privacy act. The cost for these reports depends on the length of the document: $10.00 for 1-50 pages, $20.00 for 50-100 pages, and $30.00 for 101-200 pages, while reports greater than 200 pages are quoted.
The department also manages non-emergency communications. The non-emergency number to contact the Murray Police Department is 801-840-4000. For matters involving police administration or specific questions for a detective regarding a case, the number 801-264-2673 is provided. The department also offers fingerprinting services for Murray residents or those employed by a business within the Murray City jurisdiction, though these services require an appointment. A face covering is required for all customers being fingerprinted, and individuals must wash their hands before the process.
What this means for Murray
For residents of Murray, the Salt Lake County District Attorney provides the legal mechanism for prosecuting serious crimes, such as the arson case from February 2026. While the District Attorney handles court charges, the Murray Police Department manages local reports, fingerprinting, and non-emergency inquiries to maintain community safety and administrative transparency.
