A jilted lover who shot and killed an Ogden tavern patron who was dating his former live-in girlfriend was properly convicted and sentenced to up to life in prison, the Utah Supreme Court has ruled.
In the decision released Thursday, the justices unanimously upheld the conviction of Hank Cobb, 30, Sunset, in the May 20, 1987, shooting death of Lonnie D. Wilson.The court rejected all five of the issues Cobb raised in appeal of his Aug. 4, 1987, 2nd District Court conviction. Cobb's claims, Chief Justice Gordon Hall wrote, were without merit.
Cobb claimed the state's evidence was insufficient, that Judge John Wahlquist erred in letting jurors see a photograph of the victim's body and listen to the defendant's taped confession.
And he claimed Wahlquist abused his discretion by adding a 5-year term - for use of a firearm - to the defendant's 5-year-to-life sentence on his second-degree murder conviction.
Wilson was shot while at a tavern with Cobb's ex-girlfried, Anne Sant, 24, Clearfield. The defendant followed Wilson and Sant from her place of employment to the tavern and made a threatening phone call, prosecutors said.
A few minutes later, Sant found that a tire on Wilson's car had been slashed in the parking lot. Wilson then spotted Cobb "creeping" toward the vehicle, ran out and fought with him. Wilson was shot twice during the fight.