A Third District Court judge sentenced Laura Darlene Northrup to 15 years to life in prison on Friday, October 30, 2026, for the murder of her roommate, Stephanie Lynn Haskett-Carrasco. The sentencing follows Northrup's guilty plea with a mental condition for the first-degree felony.
According to a statement from the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office, the sentencing occurred after Northrup entered a guilty plea with a mental condition for one count of murder on July 22, 2026.
The incident occurred on May 26, 2024, when emergency personnel were dispatched to the Medically Vulnerable People (MVP) shelter in Sandy City to assist an unresponsive individual. Upon arrival, responders found Haskett-Carrasco hidden under her bed with significant blunt force trauma to her head and neck.
During the investigation, police discovered a metal can of Ensure nutrition powder with blood and hair on the bottom. A red substance consistent with blood was also found on the door frame and the in-room air conditioning unit.
Northrup, Haskett-Carrasco, and a third roommate lived together at the shelter. A third roommate previously informed police that Northrup and Haskett-Carrasco had a strained relationship and would bicker frequently.
At the sentencing hearing, the courtroom was filled with Haskett-Carrasco’s family, including her five children. The judge permitted the family to play a slideshow featuring pictures of Haskett-Carrasco accompanied by a recording of her grandchildren singing.
Salt Lake County DA Sim Gill stated that the sentence will ensure the defendant receives necessary mental health resources while being held accountable for the death. Gill noted that while perfect justice was not possible, the sentence addresses the loss of Haskett-Carrasco, who was described by her daughter as a mother who adored her grandchildren.
