Wednesday, September 27, 2023 | 
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Kyle Dunphey

Kyle Dunphey is a reporter on the Utah InDepth team, covering a mix of topics including politics, the environment and breaking news. A Vermont native, he studied communications at the University of Utah and joined the Deseret News as an intern in 2020. Whether on his skis or his bike, you can find Kyle year-round exploring Utah’s mountains.

Stickers and signs are shown on the door at the King’s English Bookstore in Salt Lake City.
Utah
Hate crimes against LGBTQ people surging in Utah, as bookshop gets bomb threat over drag event
So far in 2023 there have been more hate crimes reported against LGBTQ people in Utah than the previous four years combined.
By Kyle Dunphey
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Utah
A new travel plan could close hundreds of miles of Moab’s desert roads. Is it needed conservation, or government overreach?
The Bureau of Land Management is gearing up to release a new travel plan for the Gemini Bridges-Labyrinth Canyon area, which could change recreation dynamics in the area.
By Kyle Dunphey
Management & Training Corporation, which is based in Utah, returned over $5 million after the Mississippi auditor claimed it did not properly staff a prison in that state.
Utah
3 wrongful death lawsuits and allegations of pocketing state funds hit Utah-based private prison company
Management & Training Corporation, based in Centerville, is accused of hiring ‘ghost workers.’
By Kyle Dunphey
Jodi Hildebrandt during a virtual court appearance.
Utah
‘They used cayenne pepper and honey to dress the wounds’: Warrant sheds new light on Ruby Franke, Jodi Hildebrandt child abuse case
Police recovered handcuffs, rope and duct tape from Hildebrandt’s home.
By Kyle Dunphey
Police and agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration respond to a drug bust in Cottonwood Heights .
Utah
Fentanyl is becoming more potent, prevalent and cheap in Utah, law enforcement tells lawmakers
In the last few years, the synthetic opioid has increasingly turned up in seizures and fueled overdose deaths. Officials call it ‘the greatest drug threat in Utah.’
By Kyle Dunphey
Jodi Hildebrandt during a virtual court appearance.
Utah
Jodi Hildebrandt agrees to give up counseling license amid child abuse charges
Hildebrandt was arrested alongside Ruby Franke of YouTube’s “8 Passengers” and accused of child abuse.
By Kyle Dunphey
Ruby Franke was arrested in August 2023 and charged with six counts of aggravated child abuse.
Utah
Ruby Franke’s ‘8 Passengers’ company got over $80,000 in pandemic loans
The company’s license, 8 Passengers Productions, has since expired.
By Kyle Dunphey
Purple flags are planted at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020, to recognize victims of domestic violence.
Utah
Since landmark domestic violence law took effect, victim referrals are on the rise and shelters are filling up
In July, Utah rolled out its statewide lethality assessment protocol program. Now, service providers are seeing an 83% increase in high risk victim referrals.
By Kyle Dunphey
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Culture
TikTok true crime sleuths put Ruby Franke in their crosshairs
The embattled YouTuber is a gold mine for social media engagement, though some accounts are making bold, unsubstantiated claims.
By Kyle Dunphey
This image from video provided by the Utah State Courts shows Ruby Franke during a virtual court appearance onSept. 8, 2023, in St. George, Utah.
Utah
Ruby Franke of ‘8 Passengers’ requests expedited hearing as co-defendant claims ‘life threatening’ health issue
Franke’s attorney is requesting an expedited detention hearing, meaning they want to go over pre-trial conditions and bail as soon as possible.
By Kyle Dunphey
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Utah
Judge says no bail for Ruby Franke, Jodi Hildebrandt in first public court appearance
Thousands of people tried to tune in to the embattled YouTuber’s first virtual court appearance.
By Kyle Dunphey
Ruby Franke is pictured on a talk show in 2018. The popular YouTuber was arrested in August 2023 and charged with six counts of aggravated child abuse.
Utah
Listen to the 911 call neighbor made after finding Ruby Franke’s ‘emaciated’ son
The police records obtained by the Deseret News suggest neighbors thought something was wrong, but couldn’t say for certain.
By Kyle Dunphey
Ruby Franke is pictured on a talk show in 2018. The popular YouTuber was arrested in August 2023 and charged with six counts of aggravated child abuse.
Utah
Records show ‘8 passengers’ influencer Ruby Franke was on police radar for over a year
In the last four years, police made at least 15 visits to Ruby Franke’s home in Springville.
By Kyle Dunphey
The Great Salt Lake is pictured on Thursday, July 20, 2023.
Utah
Environmental groups sue Utah over its management of the Great Salt Lake
Attorneys for the group Earthjustice claim the state’s “failure” to get enough water to the Great Salt Lake is damaging public trust resources.
By Kyle Dunphey
Lori Vallow Daybell sits during her sentencing hearing at the Fremont County Courthouse in St. Anthony, Idaho, on July 31, 2023.
Police/Courts
Lori Vallow Daybell appeals murder conviction over questions of mental competency
The Idaho mother’s attorney has asked whether she was fit to stand trial after spending 10 months in a mental hospital.
By Kyle Dunphey
The federal courthouse in Salt Lake City is pictured on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020.
Utah
Federal prosecutions are on the rise in Utah. What crimes are the feds pursuing most?
The number of crimes prosecuted by the federal government in Utah hit a 12-year high in 2022.
By Kyle Dunphey
The Utah Pride Center office in Salt Lake City is pictured in 2020.
Utah
Future of the Utah Pride Center murky amid ‘massive financial turmoil’
The center announced layoffs and suspended its operations.
By Kyle Dunphey
The upper reaches of Lake Powell in southern Utah are pictured on Friday, July 22, 2022.
Utah
A tropical storm and a rainy August have little impact on historically low Lake Powell
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation shows the elevation of the reservoir actually declined in August.
By Kyle Dunphey
Law enforcement agents investigate at the home of Craig Deeleuw Robertson, who was shot and killed by FBI agents, in Provo.
Utah
Mike Lee says elements of Provo FBI raid were ‘highly unusual,’ calls for ‘serious’ investigation
During a town hall event Wednesday, Lee said it appeared the FBI used more force than usual.
By Kyle Dunphey
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Utah
As remnants of Hurricane Hilary linger, Utah could see rain from another tropical storm later this week
Tropical Storm Harold made landfall in south Texas Tuesday, and could make its way to the Mountain West by Thursday.
By Kyle Dunphey
The potential site for the base station of a gondola, in the bottom center of the image between North Little Cottonwood Road and a private drive, is pictured at the base of Little Cottonwood Canyon.
Utah
Private funds should help pay for Little Cottonwood gondola, Utah governor says
“I don’t think the state should do it alone,” Gov. Spencer Cox said.
By Kyle Dunphey
This satellite image taken at 10:50 a.m. EDT on Aug. 17, 2023, shows Hurricane Hilary off the Pacific coast of Mexico.
Utah
What will Hurricane Hilary bring to Utah?
The first ever tropical storm watch was issued for parts of California, and by Saturday heavy rain is expected across much of Utah.
By Kyle Dunphey
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Utah
Large national monuments are a ‘direct violation of the Antiquities Act,’ Gov. Cox says
The governor has large, sweeping designations in his crosshairs. But advocates say there’s 100 years of precedent.
By Kyle Dunphey
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Utah
Funded in part by Purdue Pharma’s bankruptcy, a new, cheaper naloxone is coming to pharmacy shelves
“If you believe the moral arc of the universe bends towards justice, I can imagine no better use of some of those funds.”
By Kyle Dunphey
Craig Deeleuw Robertson, 75, is pictured in an undated social media post.
Utah
Utah man killed by FBI brandished guns at officer, Google Fiber workers in 2018, records reveal
The police officer said no crime had occurred, but Craig Robertson was “exercising his 2nd Amendment rights, albeit a little recklessly.”
By Kyle Dunphey
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Police/Courts
FBI says man killed during Provo raid pointed revolver at agents
“Robertson resisted arrest and as agents attempted to take him into custody, he pointed a .357 revolver at them,” according to the FBI.
By Kyle Dunphey
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Utah
Truth Social tip prompted investigation into man killed in Provo FBI raid
In the federal criminal complaint filed against Craig Robertson, an FBI agent details a tip “from a social media company” reported to be Truth Social.
By Kyle Dunphey
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Utah
Family of man shot by FBI mourn ‘senseless and tragic killing,’ say he was ‘frustrated and distraught’ by current events
“Though his statements were intemperate at times, he has never, and would never, commit any act of violence against another human being over a political or philosophical disagreement,” the family said.
By Kyle Dunphey
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Police/Courts
‘He has a gun!’ An eyewitness details what happened when the FBI came to a Provo neighborhood
With few details from law enforcement, a witness’ account provides the clearest picture so far of the fatal encounter between authorities and 75-year-old Craig Robertson.
By Kyle Dunphey
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Utah
Man killed by FBI who made social media threats toward Biden was older, had limited mobility, neighbors say
An FBI spokesperson said the shooting occurred when agents attempted to serve a search warrant at the home.
By McKenzie Romero, Kyle Dunphey, and 1 more
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