- Kay Mortensen
-
Kay Mortensen Born July 6, 1939
Ephraim, UtahDied November 16, 2009
Payson, UtahSpouse Hermona Anderson Kay Mortensen (July 6, 1939 - November 16, 2009) was a retired professor of mechanical engineering at Brigham Young University who was murdered. He was born to Sherman and Roxie Mortensen in Ephraim, Utah on July 6, 1939. Kay graduated from Snow College, Utah State University, and finally from the University of Utah where he received a Ph.D. in Metallurgy.[1] Kay was a professor of mechanical engineering at Brigham Young University for 37 years where he taught courses in manufacturing design, engineering technology, and mechanical engineering until his retirement. Three weeks before his murder he was released from serving as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Utah Provo Mission (LDS Church) at Cove Fort, Utah (now part of the Utah St. George Mission).[2]
Contents
Home Invasion
On November 16, 2009 at about 7 p.m. Kay's daughter-in-law Pam Mortensen called 911 to report that she and her husband Roger, Kay's son, had arrived at Kay's home and had been promptly tied up by two young men described as clean-cut white males. After the men left, Roger and Pam freed themselves, Pam called 911, and Roger went upstairs to find that Kay had been murdered.[3] Kent Carroll, a neighbor of Mortensen's family said they were planning to gather at the house Monday evening to play board games. Kay Mortensen's wife, Darla, was returning from Salt Lake where she had gone to be with her daughter who was having a baby.[4]
Convictions
Kay Mortensen's son, Roger Kay Mortensen, 48, and daughter-in-law Pamela Mortensen, 34, were eventually charged with the murder.[5] They were arrested on August 4, 2010 and booked into the Utah County Jail.[6] The police claimed that Roger's and Pam's stories were inconsistent. A search of Roger's home revealed he had possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a firearm by a restricted person. They also found hidden an AK-47 and a 12-gauge shotgun. A .22 caliber revolver was also found in a safe in the garage.[7] A rare Grand Jury was impaneled, which found that Roger and Pam should stand trial for Kay's murder.
On December 7, 2010, after serving four months in prison, Utah County exonerated Roger and Pamela Mortensen of the murder of Roger's father.[8] Prosecutors moved to dismiss charges against the couple. That same day, they arrested two 23-year-old Vernal, Utah men, Benjamin David Rettig and Martin Cameron Bond, who is the son of a close friend of Kay Mortensen. They were both charged by Utah County with aggravated murder, aggravated burglary and aggravated kidnapping.[9] An anonymous informant advised police of the whereabouts of the suspects. When confronted, Bond showed detectives where he had allegedly buried weapons to conceal them. They found 14 shotguns, rifles and handguns buried at a location in Vernal, Utah and other weapons in a septic tank at a park in the area. The firearms had the serial numbers scratched off. Rettig was in possession of Roger Mortensen's driver's license. Rettig claimed that he and Bond had tied up Pamela and Roger Mortensen after the older Mortensen's throat had already been cut.[10]
References
- ^ "Obituary: MORTENSEN, KAY". Deseret News Publishing Company. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20091119/ai_n42171004/. Retrieved January 21, 2011.
- ^ "Obituary: MORTENSEN, KAY". Deseret News Publishing Company. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20091119/ai_n42171004/. Retrieved January 21, 2011.
- ^ "Man dead after Payson Canyon home invasion". DeseretNews. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705345034/Man-dead-after-Payson-Canyon-home-invasion.html. Retrieved January 16, 2011.
- ^ "Neighbor describes a horrifying scenario in man's slaying in Payson". DeseretNews. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705345524/Neighbor-describes-a-horrifying-scenario-in-mans-slaying-in-Payson.html. Retrieved January 16, 2011.
- ^ Ben Winslow. "Son, daughter-in-law arrested in connection with former BYU prof's murder". Fox13. http://movies.netflix.com/WiPlayer?movieid=70132907&trkid=2430625#EpisodeMovieId=70132908. Retrieved January 22, 2011.
- ^ "Payson man and his wife charged with murdering his father". DeseretNews. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700052258/Payson-man-and-his-wife-charged-with-murdering-his-father.html. Retrieved January 16, 2011.
- ^ "Payson man and his wife charged with murdering his father". DeseretNews. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700052258/Payson-man-and-his-wife-charged-with-murdering-his-father.html. Retrieved January 16, 2011].
- ^ Sam Penrod and Anne Forester. "Pamela Mortensen released from jail". KSL.com. http://www.ksl.com/?sid=13580977&nid=148. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
- ^ Paul Koepp. "Charges to be dismissed against Payson couple accused of killing BYU professor Kay Mortensen Widow hopes new arrest will finally bring her closure". DeseretNews. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700089341/Charges-to-be-dismissed-against-Payson-couple-accused-of-killing-BYU-professor-Kay-Mortensen.html. Retrieved January 16, 2011.
- ^ Sara Lenz and Paul Koepp. "$1 million bail for new suspects in killing of BYU professor Kay Mortensen Pamela Mortensen released from jail; family grateful". DeseretNews. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700089540/1-million-bail-for-new-suspects-in-killing-of-BYU-professor-Kay-Mortensen.html?pg=2. Retrieved January 16, 2011.
Sources
Categories:- 1939 births
- 2009 deaths
- American mechanical engineers
- Brigham Young Academy faculty
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