In a deal with prosecutors, a murder charge was dismissed Wednesday against one of two Millcreek men accused of the February stabbing death of Ronald Reed Peterson at the base of the Oquirrh Mountains.
As part of the plea negotiation, Larry Thomas Taylor, 51, agreed to continue cooperating with investigators and comply with terms of his probation. If he fails to work with prosecutors, the first-degree felony murder charge will be re-filed, Deputy Tooele County Attorney Alan Jeppesen said.Part of the agreement includes Taylor testifying against Jimmy Dean Meinhard, 49, the alleged killer in the county's first homicide of the year.
Both men were charged last week with murder, a first-degree felony, after police said Meinhard killed Peterson Feb. 25 over a set of tools while Taylor watched and helped get rid of the body.
According to court documents, Meinhard and Taylor drove to Tooele from their Salt Lake County home to meet Peterson. Meinhard then got into Peterson's car and the two drove off some distance south of Tooele. Taylor followed, according to charges.
Meinhard then stabbed Peterson in the chest with a knife, the complaint states. Taylor followed Meinhard to an isolated location and the two dumped the body, charges state. The two then drove to a spot some seven miles away and abandoned Peterson's car.
Investigators say the pair returned to the car three days later to remove fingerprints and other evidence but left incriminating footprints in the snow.
Police said Meinhard had been injured in a motorcycle accident and wore a metal brace around his foot. Tooele County Sheriff Frank Scharmann said the brace was tied to several unique prints around the car.
Sheriff's deputies have yet to find the murder weapon, but they are still searching for it.
Peterson's body was found half-buried in the snow March 1 by horseback riders about 22 miles south of Tooele.
Taylor is expected to plead guilty Monday to charges of tampering with evidence, a second-degree felony, for his alleged role in Peterson's death. The pleading will be presented before 3rd District Judge Leon A. Dever in Tooele.
In exchange for Taylor's plea, prosecutors will recommend he serve a year in jail and 36 months of probation on the tampering charge.
Taylor accepted the prosecutors' terms and waived his preliminary hearing before Magistrate William Pitt, Jeppesen said.