Prosecutors have decided not to file charges against a Salt Lake County man who shot and killed a Murray man last month.

Wasatch County Attorney Steve Hansen ruled that the slaying was a justifiable homicide and said he didn't have enough evidence to file any criminal charges against Shane L. Perkins, 23, of 6636 S. Royal Harvest Way (2055 East).Perkins was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail following a shooting at his apartment on Feb. 22. He was later released to Pre-Trial Services pending completion of the investigation, which ended Monday.

In a letter to sheriff's detectives, Hansen said, "It is my opinion that the evidence is insufficient under the circumstances to meet our burden of proof. No further action will be taken by this office, and I will consider the file closed and the matter concluded."

Salt Lake County Sheriff's Detective Richard Judd said that with the conclusion of Hansen's investigation, the case is closed.

Brett Snarr, 20, of 209 E. Gordon Lane #31, and his 21-year-old girlfriend were visiting Perkins and his girlfriend, 20, on the evening of the shooting. An argument apparently developed between Snarr and his girlfriend, and Perkins interceded, said Salt Lake County Sheriff's Capt. Bill A Van Wagenen.

Perkins and his girlfriend tried to separate the other couple by taking Snarr's girlfriend into a bedroom with them. Snarr then followed them into the room.

View Comments

Other beatings had apparently occurred previously, and Snarr may have been beating his girlfriend that night, he said.

Perkins tried to get Snarr to leave the apartment without his girlfriend and got out a gun in order to force him to leave, a sheriff's report states.

"He (Snarr) said, `Go ahead and shoot me,' and moved forward threateningly," said Van Wagenen. Snarr was shot once in the head and died before paramedics arrived.

Salt Lake prosecutors turned the investigation over to Wasatch County investigators because Perkins' mother works as a secretary in the Salt Lake County attorney's office.

Join the Conversation
Looking for comments?
Find comments in their new home! Click the buttons at the top or within the article to view them — or use the button below for quick access.