John R. Pinder whispered to his attorney as charges of aggravated murder and witness tampering were read to him Monday in 8th District Court.
When Judge A. Lynn Payne asked if he understood the charges, which could result in the death sentence, he simply answered, "Yes, sir."Pinder's hands and feet were shackled and he wore an orange Wasatch County Jail jumpsuit as he stood before the court with attorney Patricia Geary at his side. The proceedings were attended by a throng of news media and interested citizens, including the brother and sister-in-law of murder victim Rex Tanner, but it didn't appear that any family members of Pinder were present.
As Pinder was escorted from the courtroom he looked at Milton Tanner, the brother of murder victim Rex Tanner, and mouthed the words, "I didn't do it."
Pinder is charged with two counts of aggravated homicide, a capital offense - which carries a possible death penalty - and a second-degree felony for tampering with evidence in the deaths and disposal of the bodies of Rex K. Tanner, 48, and June Flood, 59. The two formerly worked for Pinder. Their bodies were discovered on Halloween at Lake Canyon, 20 miles southwest of Du-chesne.
Pinder's former ranch hand, Filimeno Valenchia-Ruiz, 34, is also charged with two counts of aggravated homicide and tampering with evidence in the Oct. 25 deaths. Officials said Valenchia-Ruiz and a third man, who has not been charged, have both pointed fingers at Pinder as the man who shot Tanner and Flood and then used an explosive mixture to blow up their bodies at a remote site on his JJNP Ranch in southwest Duchesne County.
The remains of the murder victims were buried with heavy equipment, allegedly by Pinder and a third man. Valenchia-Ruiz and Pinder are accused of scouting the site for body parts that weren't covered by dirt when the sagebrush-covered hillside was bulldozed. Human remains that were discovered were allegedly put into a bag and then burned, according to court documents.
Authorities believe that additional evidence in the crime, including the murder weapon, may have been disposed of in Idaho. Investigators from the Duchesne County Sheriff's Office are still in Idaho following up on possible leads in the case.
Duchesne County Attorney Herb Gillespie was granted his request for a 10-day extension of a search warrant at the site of the explosion at Lake Canyon to continue to secure the scene while investigative efforts continue.
Geary asked the court to instruct prosecutors to hurry to complete their examination of computers and fax machines taken from Pinder's home and businesses and the spread he owns with his father, Robert Pinder, a Park City businessman. The Pinders have substantial oil and gas holdings in Duchesne County, and also operate an ostrich ranch and working cattle ranch.
Pinder turned 41 years old Tuesday. It's expected that he will continue to be held - at least temporarily - in the Wasatch County jail. Valenchia-Ruiz is incarcerated at the Duchesne County jail.
Before he turned himself in, Pinder voiced concerns about his personal safety in Duchesne County. Geary said there are always "safety concerns anytime you have a co-defendant in the same jail . . . it's not at all unusual" for co-defendants to be in different facilities.
Pinder turned himself in to Wasatch County law enforcement authorities late Sunday afternoon after playing a cat-and-mouse game with investigators who were initially told to expect him to show up Saturday at 5 p.m.
The fact that Pinder turned himself in to authorities "speaks volumes" about the defendant and the case, Geary said, adding that she anticipates entering a not-guilty plea at the appropriate time in the court proceedings. Geary had "no comment" on Pinder's claims that people operating a huge drug cartel or Mafia presence in eastern Utah were trying to frame him for the double murders.
Pinder's next court date will be Nov. 30 in Duchesne when he appears for a bail reduction hearing. Bail is set at $1 million cash only.