A man is facing life in prison over accusations he killed a 20-year-old woman during a party.
Charges were filed Friday against Darren C. Bluemel, 40, who is accused of shooting Rachel Karren twice during a gathering at his Herriman mobile home on Tuesday. Deputies found her body wrapped in a rug in a culvert near Bluemel's home, 4350 W. 12700 South.Shawn Winward was at the party when he heard two gunshots, he told prosecutors. After the shots rang through the trailer, he looked into another room and saw Karren's body on the floor, according to the charges filed in 3rd District Court. One other person, a woman, was at the party.
Bluemel allegedly threatened the others after the shooting by saying, "I guess I'll have to kill you because I can't have any witnesses," court documents state. He then held the woman who was at the party at gunpoint for an hour before allowing her to leave, according to the charges.
Winward apparently left immediately and called police.
Salt Lake County sheriff's deputies arrested Bluemel early Tuesday morning without incident. He remained in the Salt Lake County Jail Friday night with bail set at $500,000.
Karren's funeral was held Friday night in West Valley City, where she attended high school. She was living in Salt Lake County and was an employee of Farmer's Insurance before she was killed.
Bluemel is facing a count of murder and kidnapping, both first-degree felonies, and a count of tampering with evidence, a second-degree felony.