WEST JORDAN — The man charged with murder in the shooting death of a Draper police sergeant made his initial appearance Tuesday in 3rd District Court.
Timothy Troy Walker, 34, was somber, with an apparatus around his jaw to help heal injuries sustained the night of the shooting.
Because he was still unable to speak, Walker was not read the official charges against him — aggravated murder and felony discharge of a firearm, both first-degree felonies, and three third-degree felony counts of felony discharge of a firearm and use of a firearm by a restricted person.
The charges are related to the Sept. 1 shooting death of Draper Police Sgt. Derek Johnson. Police said Walker also shot his girlfriend, Traci Vaillancourt, and himself.
Vaillancourt, 34, was also in court Tuesday. She was smiling, no longer using an oxygen tank and out of the wheelchair she was in during her initial court appearance Sept. 16.
"She's doing a lot better than a month ago," said Matthew Kober, Vaillancourt's attorney. "We've talked to her about where the case is going, and she's encouraged by where we're going to go in the case."
Vaillancourt is charged with two counts of obstructing justice, a second-degree felony that could result in a maximum 30-year sentence.
However, her attorneys are optimistic about her options.
"We always look at possibilities of plea offers. We also look at what possibilities we have of dismissals or trials. So we're still evaluating what options we have. Again, we haven't reviewed all the evidence yet. We haven't got it," Kober said.
Walker and Vaillancourt both will be in court again Dec. 3. Their court appearances will be at different times, and separate jail transports will be used.
Contributing: Andrew Adams
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