The Utah County Attorney's Office filed a notice on Friday, Oct. 10, announcing its intent to seek the death penalty in the double murder trial of 28-year-old Matthew J. Leonard. Leonard is accused of the killings of his mother, Sarah Johnson, of Springville, and her friend, 50-year-old John Waldron Handricks, of Salt Lake City.
In a notice filed Friday, the state indicated it intends to seek the death penalty for both counts of aggravated murder charged in the Information. The notice stated that the decision to seek the death penalty is supported by substantial evidence and was made in the interest of justice following consultation with the victims' families. The filing was made by counsel Jeffrey S. Gray on behalf of the State of Utah.
Leonard faces multiple charges, including two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of obstruction of justice, five counts of felony discharge of a firearm, and two counts of desecration of a body. According to an arrest document, Johnson and Handricks were last seen on March 20 of this year at Johnson's Springville residence. Witnesses in a garage at the residence reported hearing five gunshots, after which the victims' phones were turned off.
Evidence from the investigation includes reports of large amounts of dried blood found under the floorboards in Johnson's bedroom and blood stains found in two locations in Leonard's SUV. While Leonard's phone showed he spent approximately 16 hours in remote western Duchesne County near Fruitland, investigators stated there is probable cause to believe the defendant moved the bodies from the crime scene. As of the date of the Information, the bodies of Johnson and Handricks have not been located.
The District Attorney's office stated that, based on evidence received from Edward Saunders of the Springville Police Department, there is reason to believe the defendant committed the offenses as charged.
