Prosecutors: Utah man stabbed grandma 111 times
Caution: Story contains graphic descriptions of crime scene.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A Utah man accused of stabbing his grandmother 111 times told police he slit her heart and belly and removed several of her internal organs, prosecutors said in court documents.
Police went to 84-year-old Joyce Dexter's Salt Lake City home on Oct. 3 after neighbors heard screams and called 911. Officers found Zachary Cole Weston standing over Dexter's body while holding a bloody knife, according to court records released Friday.
Weston had blood on his clothing and hands and later told investigators he had also cut his grandmother's jugular, the records said.
The 21-year-old has been charged with aggravated murder, a capital offense. Family members told The Salt Lake Tribune (http://bit.ly/RWt4on ) that Weston suffers from mental illness.
He was arrested in 2010 after he was accused of pushing his mother and striking a police officer. He pleaded guilty to one of two assault charges.
As part of his sentence, he was ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation and complete any recommended treatment, but he was charged Aug. 9 with two counts of assault and interfering with a police officer during an arrest for slapping one hospital employee and punching another in the face, the Deseret News reported.
He was also charged with assault for hitting his father during a Sept. 27 argument.
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill declined to comment Friday on a possible motive in the stabbing, but he praised police for responding so quickly.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A Utah man accused of stabbing his grandmother 111 times told police he slit her heart and belly and removed several of her internal organs, prosecutors said in court documents.
Police went to 84-year-old Joyce Dexter's Salt Lake City home on Oct. 3 after neighbors heard screams and called 911. Officers found Zachary Cole Weston standing over Dexter's body while holding a bloody knife, according to court records released Friday.
Weston had blood on his clothing and hands and later told investigators he had also cut his grandmother's jugular, the records said.
The 21-year-old has been charged with aggravated murder, a capital offense. Family members told The Salt Lake Tribune (http://bit.ly/RWt4on ) that Weston suffers from mental illness.
He was arrested in 2010 after he was accused of pushing his mother and striking a police officer. He pleaded guilty to one of two assault charges.
As part of his sentence, he was ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation and complete any recommended treatment, but he was charged Aug. 9 with two counts of assault and interfering with a police officer during an arrest for slapping one hospital employee and punching another in the face, the Deseret News reported.
He was also charged with assault for hitting his father during a Sept. 27 argument.
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill declined to comment Friday on a possible motive in the stabbing, but he praised police for responding so quickly.
two words...."death penalty"!
Is it me or is the reference to "Dexter" ironic?
If that was my son, I would be moving to an unknown destination. Why stick around to support someone who has assaulted and murdered family members.
two words "Wood Chipper"   two more  "Feet First"
"Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill declined to comment Friday on a possible motive in the stabbing, but he praised police for responding so quickly." Â Oh of course, imagine though if they had actually gotten there in time to save her...their "quick" response in this case is totally meaningless - nearly laughable...
 @fyrefawx:Â
Since it states he slit her jugular, they woiu;ld have had to been standing there as he did that in order to save her. It is a very rapid bl;eed out from that.
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You always seem to have negative, nasty, snarky comments to make, no matter what the story. Why is that? Are you so unhappy with your own life that you have to take shots at eveybody else?
If she was torn up so badly how can they possibly know how many times she was stabbed?Â
@Kateeh They took junior's word for it? Good point, though...
If the grandson had stabbed grandma 33 more times, that would have been gross!
"...Weston suffers from mental illness..."
That's a shock.
This young man is sick. He belongs in a padded room. You can't help people like this. His mind is so twisted as is maggies.
111? Well, at least there's symmetry.
Why the heck was he free to do this after all those charges??
 @achoo2 My thoughts exactly.  That poor woman.  She probably wanted to help her grandson and died a horrible death instead.
a man might call this a man. i think more women would call this a young adult, i my self see this as still a child, in these nowa days. we havent had jobs available for a good 10 years, we should be ashamed for our children.the bible states and death will be no more. yeah i went there. death is NEVER an option.
@maggie112 Are you trippin?
 @jenshens  @maggie112 i wish i was
Just put this sick bastard to death. Don't even wait for the fifteen years, or however long an inmate waits on death row. Just drag him out back and put a bullet in his head.