PAYSON — A couple pleaded guilty Friday to murder charges in the shooting death of their alleged drug dealer.
Investigators say they were trying to rob the man two years ago so they could have Christmas cash, but ended up killing him.
Stephan Sutton, 28, and Chaelisa Nielsen, 22, each pleaded guilty to murder, a first-degree felony, in 4th District Court as part of a plea bargain.
Sutton apologized to the family of the victim Jeff Vern Jensen, 28, of Payson, and admitted he pulled the trigger. Nielsen helped plan the crime.
The two are accused of going to an empty Flying J parking lot in Payson on Nov. 23, 2012, to rob him of cash for Christmas. When Jensen approached their vehicle, Sutton stuck a shotgun to his chest and fired. Jensen then got out of the vehicle and took money and other items from Jensen.
In addition to murder, Sutton also pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony, obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, and escape from custody, a third-degree felony. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop charges of aggravated murder and aggravated robbery, first-degree felonies; and two counts of failure to stop at the command of an officer, a third-degree felony and a class A misdemeanor.
In exchange for Nielsen's murder plea, prosecutors dropped charges of aggravated murder and two counts of aggravated robbery, first-degree felonies; obstructing justice, a second-degree felony; and failure to stop at the command of an officer, a third-degree felony.
Sutton and Nielsen are scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 13.