Stabbing death of 34-year-old woman is 2nd homicide in 2 days for Murray neighborhood
MURRAY, Utah (KUTV) — Homicide detectives are investigating two deaths within a few blocks of each other in Murray this week.
Murray Police say they have suspects in custody in each case, and there isn’t a known connection between them.
The first homicide happened Wednesday when 39-year-old Darnell Brown was shot and killed near 4500 South Main Street. Investigators arrested Patrick Brown, 42, on charges of murder and aggravated assault, alleging both men had an argument over a vehicle prior to the shooting.
Thursday night, Murray Police received a report of a stabbing at 4439 Brick Oven Way.
According to police, a 16-year-old boy fatally stabbed 34-year-old Melissa Wood in the parking lot of the Fireclay apartments.
Police apprehended the teen, who is now being held in juvenile detention.
Friends of Wood say she confronted a group of teenagers who were causing a disturbance in the parking lot.
“She heard these teenagers roll up and they were swearing and flying the N-word around. She said ‘hey you can’t say that around here, there’s small children’,” said Wood’s friend, Elizabeth Gillette.
Gillette says Wood was a good friend of many neighbors at the Fireclay Apartments and frequently took care of kids who lived there.
She was such a wonderful, caring, giving soul,” Gillette said. “I couldn’t believe it was her in the parking lot. It’s senseless, and uncalled for and absolutely horrifying.”
