South Salt Lake Murder

When I was in college, my dad gave me a custom pool cue. It was quite a prize. It was heavy, and I knew he'd won it off someone who couldn't pay him after a game at, The Crest Club on 4800 S. just West of State Street back in the 70's. All the, Hercule's rocket scientists used to play pool in there after work most nights.

I had to find my own, custom, screw in tips for it. And the only place to do so in the whole valley at the time was BK Billiards on 700 East. It was, at the time, in the middle of nowhere. Too far south of 3300 South to matter, because that was were civilization ENDED in the 70's in the Salt Lake Valley. Too far North of 4500 South for people in Murray to care. On the West side of the road, no street parking. You had to be looking for this place to find it back then.

And I think you would have to be NOW, too.

But, a few years ago, well, could have been 20 years ago, as little as I travel 700 East since I quit driving up to the, "U" that way 35 years ago, I noticed something else on the sign. "LDS Bookseller". I remember noticing it because of the dichotomy between pool shooters and Mormon's in general. But, "LDS Booksellers" struck me as funny.

Since I retired as a Probation/Parole Agent five years ago, I hardly ever drive on 700 East, so I can't remember the last time I drove that way. And I can't tell you what the area looks like now. But I can tell you some things that stick out to me, as a retired Cop in the stories I've heard over the last couple of days.

Why would anyone rob a billiards shop, in a town where that is probably not a real big money business? And in a spot where it was obvious that not only would there be not a lot of witnesses, there would not be a lot of MONEY!

Many convenience stores await a would be robber only a few short blocks north.

Could it be that it was someone local (as it usually is in a residential robbery, which this, for all intent's and purposes was) who was too lazy to walk to 3300 South? That's my bet.

They have a business, ergo they must have more money than ME!

Or did it have something to so with the, "bookseller" aspect of the business? No one kills for a pool cue, but in this state, people have been blown up for Mormon documents.

And the whole, "Knife Making" thing? Who does that? It's not a common hobby, and this poor, woman was killed with a knife. In her own home. Not a gun, not a ball bat. A knife, in a knife making place?

Wow! This is going to be interesting. Almost all people who are murdered are murdered by someone they know. And most times, love.

And since this involves a prominent Utah/Mormon family, it's going to be interesting to see how this plays out in the local media. No matter how this turns out, I bet there's a 90% probability that someones reputation gets ruined. I have a feeling this is not a random act of violence.

My sympathy's go out to the family's. I feel your pain. And I'm sorry that your prominence in the community might have caused this horrible act to happen, even though I feel it did. You don't deserve this. No matter what anyone thinks about your politics, religion or business, you don't deserve this.

And I hope the Cops will feel it did too, because I think that will be where they find the answer. It wasn't a RANDOM act of violence. Someone picked this person out. Go from there, South Salt Lake PD, and you will solve this crime.