Iron County investigators said Thursday they had collected more evidence indicating an intruder who was killed while breaking into the home of his former employer had planned the crime.
C.J. Harris, 19, was killed after being stabbed in the back with a 6-inch hunting knife several times early Wednesday. Police say Harris had broken into the house of Steve and Maria Barnhardt and had tied up their 17-year-old son with duct tape.
Police say Harris then proceeded to the parents' room and and was in the process of duct taping them at gunpoint when Steve Barnhardt fought back. During the ensuing struggle, the son, whose name was not released Thursday, was able to free himself, grab a hunting knife and come to his parents' aid.
A 10-year-old girl was also in the home at the time but was sleeping and did not see the incident, said Iron County Sheriff Mark Gower.
Harris worked for Steve Barnhardt as a contract laborer. His home address is listed in Las Vegas, Gower said. He had been "floating back and forth" between Vegas and Cedar City for the past little while, he said.
Harris was fired several weeks ago. It was unknown Thursday if there were any hard feelings surrounding his termination. It was also unclear if the family had had any contact with Harris between his firing and the break-in.
A motive for the break-in was still unknown Thursday.
"We may never know what it is," Gower said. "We don't know if it's retaliation or simple robbery."
Investigators have learned that Harris contacted some of his friends, including his girlfriend, earlier in the evening before going to the Barnhardt house. Gower declined to elaborate on what conversations were held with those people.
Likewise, Gower refused to talk about evidence seized from Harris' car, but said it added to the theory that the crime was planned.
As to whether Harris intended to harm the family or just rob them, that was also unknown Thursday.
"There's been nothing he said or documented about what his intentions were," Gower said.
Gower said he expected the case would be classified as a justified killing and no charges would be filed. He said the Barnhardts' son Wednesday didn't show a lot of emotion either way when he talked to detectives.
"When we were talking to him he was somber. He seemed sad it happened, but really trying to absorb everything that had happened," Gower said.
This is the second time in a month a person has been killed in Cedar City while entering another person's property. A 26-year-old man was shot and killed while trying to break into the RV of a Florida couple who were parked for the night at a Wal-Mart.
Gower said although he doesn't necessarily encourage residents to kill intruders, "we do encourage people to protect themselves. That's a constitutional right."
"Deadly force says you have the right to defend yourself or a third party, and that third party can be your family. I'm a big supporter of that."
However, Gower said homeowners also need to remember that deadly force cannot be used to protect property. It can only be used when your life or the life of a third party is in danger.
E-mail: preavy@desnews.com