The names of the mother and son killed in a murder-suicide Thursday night have been released by the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Investigators believe Linda Elliott, who was supposed to be celebrating her 63rd birthday Thursday, was shot twice and killed by her 38-year-old son, Curtis Elliott, while trying to flee from him.
The two lived together in an apartment near 4700 South and 900 East. Earlier in the day, Linda Elliott informed her son that she was transferring jobs and was moving, said Salt Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Paul Jaroscak. She told her son he would also have to move because she would not sign the lease for the apartment for him, he said.
Detectives weren't sure if that incident sparked the shooting but suspect it may have been a launching point for an argument between the two, Jaroscak said.
Just after 7 p.m. the argument had escalated and Linda Elliott left her apartment, Jaroscak said.
Curtis Elliott followed her with a shotgun, Jaroscak said, and just as she reached the bottom of the staircase, Curtis allegedly fired two shots from the landing, striking his mother, and then ran back into his apartment.
At least three witnesses either heard or saw the shooting, Jaroscak said. Shortly after the mother was shot, some neighbors reported hearing another gunshot from inside the apartment.
Approximately 100 residents were either evacuated or not allowed into their apartments as they arrived home. Fifty-two sheriff's deputes, including a SWAT team, set up a perimeter around the complex.
Officers from Murray police, South Salt Lake police and the Utah Highway Patrol also assisted in addition to equipment being loaned to the county from Midvale police. UTA provided a bus for displaced residents to stay warm.
After making numerous attempts to contact Curtis inside his apartment, including filling an answering machine with messages, the SWAT team obtained a search warrant and entered just after 12:30 a.m. Friday.
The team used explosives to open the front door and then tossed tear gas inside. When no one responded, they entered and found Curtis Elliott dead in the bathroom from a single gunshot wound.
Elliott was on probation at the time of his death from a conviction in August for criminal trespass.
E-mail: preavy@desnews.com