SALT LAKE CITY — The man accused of killing his wife in front of their two children inside their Midvale home before allegedly trying to take his own life has been transferred from the hospital to jail.
John Weston Erickson, 41, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail Saturday night for investigation of murder and child abuse.
He is accused of stabbing his wife, 41-year-old Utahna Halona Erickson, multiple times, and injuring his daughter, who tried to stop the attack.
Unified police were called to the Ericksons’ home near 115 W. Settlement Circle on Wednesday. The couple’s two children, an 11-year-old boy and 7-year-old girl — identified by the family as Preslee and Weston — ran from the house trying to get help as the attack was occurring.
The first arriving officers found a “large amount of blood” throughout the house that led to the master bedroom, according to a police affidavit. Halona was found deceased in the bedroom with numerous stab wounds, including cuts to her neck in addition to defensive wounds, the affidavit states.
Erickson was on the bed “with deep lacerations to both forearms and his neck, which he stated he committed on himself in efforts to die,” according to the affidavit.
The couple’s daughter was injured when she grabbed the blade of the knife in an attempt to stop the attack, and received two severe cuts in the process, the affidavit states.
After being released from the hospital, Erickson was interviewed by police at the Unified Police Department before being taken to jail.
Halona’s family released a statement on Friday saying that their hearts were crushed, and encouraged anyone who is the victim of domestic violence to get help by calling the Utah Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-897-LINK (5465).
Utahna Halona with her children.
Family photo