If Utah lawmakers needed inspiration to tackle the Salt Lake area's growing crime problems, they got it the weekend before the Legislature convened.
As of Monday morning, five people were dead, one was seriously injured and three were in jail.Three slayings kept investigators busy throughout the weekend. The most recent occurred in West Valley City on Saturday night.
Jeremy Gaitin, 18, was stabbed five times in the chest and head area and investigators are looking for a 14-year-old suspect. Police say a fight broke out between rival gang members in the front yard of a home at 2160 W. Birmingham Circle (3860 South) about 11:40 p.m.
Gaitin fought with the younger teen until a knife was pulled and Gaitin was stabbed in the chest and neck. He was taken by ambulance to Pioneer Valley Hospital and then flown to LDS Hospital where he died about 1 a.m., said West Valley Sgt. Mike Buchanan.
Police believe they know the suspect but haven't been able to find the teen yet. Because of his age, he would be booked into the Salt Lake County Detention Center instead of jail.
Earlier Saturday, Salt Lake County homicide detectives began investigating the shooting death of a Sandy woman.
Kimberly Evans, 28, was found slumped in the driver's seat of her family car near the mouth of Butterfield Canyon in southwest Salt Lake County about 4:30 p.m.
Detectives said it appeared there had been a struggle but had very few leads. Investigators Sunday began questioning "anybody and everybody" who might know anything about her death.
Sheriff's spokesman Rod Norton said Evans had been shot "more than once in the upper body." He would not confirm reports that no weapon was found at the scene, saying detectives were trying to protect evidence in the case. The body was taken to the state medical examiner's office for an autopsy, but results were not available Monday by press time.
"We're starting from ground zero and looking at the whole of her life - her family, her friends, everything that might have a bearing on this," Norton said.
The body was discovered by a passerby, who called it in as a possible suicide. Evans' car, a green 1994 Jeep Cherokee, was found near a Kennecott gate next to a busy highway in broad daylight.
Norton said investigators are hoping that a passing motorist, mine worker or jogger might have seen something and will come forward with the information.
"There's quite a bit of traffic in that area. When I was out there, it seemed like a car went by every minute or two, so it's entirely possible that someone noticed something Saturday afternoon," Norton said.
The other weekend homicide occurred in West Valley City Friday night. Danny Gibson was shot and killed after he kicked in the front door of Sean Snow's apartment, 5685 W. 3980 South.
Neighbors say the two had on-going conflicts that ended with a fight about 10:50 p.m. After a confusing chain of events, Gibson, 24, and several others ended up pounding on the door of Snow's home.
When the door was kicked in, someone inside the house fired one gunshot, which hit Gibson in the chest. He died before any medical help arrived. Snow, 25, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of homicide.
A 19-year-old man is in stable condition at St. Mark's Hospital after being stabbed just before midnight Saturday.
Mike Simonson was stabbed during a fight between several people. One person was arrested Saturday night and other arrests may follow, police said.
Two Murray women were killed when a drunken driver hit them Friday as they crossed 900 East. A 58-year-old man was arrested and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail.
Deseret News staff writers Joe Costanzo and Scott Iwasaki contributed to this report.