A second man has been arrested in the disappearance of Kiplyn Davis after his indictment on charges of lying to a grand jury and to an FBI agent.
Garry Blackmore, 25, formerly of Salem, was indicted Wednesday on four counts of giving false statements to an FBI agent and one count of perjury for making a false statement to a grand jury while under oath. He faces up to 25 years in federal prison.
Court documents indicate the 15-year-old Spanish Fork resident may have been murdered.
In a case that has gone unsolved for more than 10 years, federal prosecutors are turning up the heat on a group of former teens who either knew Davis or knew her associates, and who may have information about her disappearance in 1995.
Assistant U.S. District Attorney Richard Lambert said recent information from people in the community of Spanish Fork have moved them closer to finding out what happened to Davis. However, he said there remain certain individuals who appear part of an ongoing cover-up of important information, which may lead to yet more indictments within the next few weeks.
"Many, many people have been helpful in this investigation," Lambert said, "but some have not. When individuals seek to cover themselves or cover other people and do so by false testimony to a grand jury, or to a federal agent, the grand jury will come down on them with indictments."
Lambert called the information from Blackmore a "critical" piece to their investigation.
Specifically, according to a federal indictment, prosecutors allege that Blackmore lied before a federal grand jury on March 31 about an alleged confession he had heard from an unnamed individual.
Question: "On the way to Wendover, did you tell him (unnamed party 3) that (unnamed party 1) had told you he had killed (Kiplyn Davis)?"
Answer by Blackmore: "No sir. I have never told (unnamed party 3) any recollection of any story by (unnamed party 1)."
But Lambert said they have evidence indicating that Blackmore lied in that testimony.
Last April, a fellow schoolmate of Davis' was indicted on charges of lying to a grand jury involving the case. Scott Brunson, who was a senior at Spanish Fork High School at the time of Davis' disappearance, denied being asked by a named person to provide an alibi for that person's whereabouts on May 2, 2005 — the last day she was seen.
Lambert could not confirm or deny if the named person in both cases were the same, but did confirm that at least one or more persons may have been involved in Davis' death.
"She disappeared under highly unusual circumstances," Lambert said. On the day she disappeared, Davis was seen by friends at Spanish Fork High School, but by lunch time was gone. Her purse and personal belongings were still in her locker.
"One of the things that you can assume that has occurred is that she may have met with foul play," Lambert said.
Although Blackmore and Davis were close in age, Lambert said Blackmore did not know her or go to school with her. Lambert said he could not disclose the relation Blackmore has to this named person who has made an alleged murder confession.
U.S. District Attorney Paul Warner said Blackmore was scheduled to appear once again before a grand jury Thursday when he refused to cooperate, leading to the indictment. Blackmore had traveled from his current residence in Cardston, Alberta, for the hearing.
Blackmore is scheduled to appear before a federal magistrate judge today. Lambert said his office plans to ask the court to detain Blackmore out of concern that he may flee.
Speaking to the Deseret Morning News from his home in Spanish Fork, father Richard Davis said every "time they make an arrest I hope this brings us closer to finding Kiplyn . . . we're just crossing our fingers."
Davis said Blackmore's name had never come up in the 10-year investigation, indicating a new break in the case.
Lambert said he is confident that there are people who may have new, or old, information that could solve this case. He said his office hopes that anyone that knows any information about Davis, Brunson or Blackmore contact the Spanish Fork Police Department or the FBI.
Federal prosecutors gave a public warning that if certain individuals do not cooperate, more indictments may come down within the following weeks.
"We believe we've come a long way in putting a picture together of what happened," Lambert said. "There won't be full closure for her family until her remains are found and then given a proper burial."
E-mail: gfattah@desnews.com