Utah man arrested for murder after argument over crab cakes

OREM, Utah (ABC4) – A Utah man who lived in a “nursing home for the mentally disabled” was arrested on murder charges after a physical altercation at the facility resulted in the death of another resident, according to arrest documents.

The 38-year-old suspect was arrested Sunday on one count of murder, which is a first-degree felony. ABC4.com is not releasing his name because investigators were told in arrest documents that he had the “mental capacity of an 8-year-old child.”

According to a probable cause affidavit, police responded to the nursing facility after receiving reports of a man who was “unconscious and not breathing normally,” and police were informed that the suspect was outside.

Police arrived at the scene, located the suspect and took him into custody. He later identified himself to the police officers. Medical staff said the victim died before 8 a.m. Sunday after performing life-saving measures.

According to arrest documents, several employees witnessed the altercation that resulted in the victim’s death and attempted to intervene verbally and physically, but most attempts were unsuccessful.

According to the affidavit, the incident occurred while an employee was making crab cakes with the victim and the suspect. While preparing the crab cakes, the suspect became “upset” when the victim added mayonnaise to the mixture, arrest documents state.

A verbal argument ensued in which the suspect repeatedly called the victim an insult and the victim is said to have made references to the suspect’s deceased mother. After the suspect’s mother was mentioned, a physical altercation ensued, according to the affidavit.

A staff member tried to stand between the two nursing home residents but was pushed aside by the suspect, the documents say. After pushing the employee out of the way, the suspect began physically hitting the victim, the affidavit states.

The victim reportedly bit the suspect’s hand once and another employee was called to the kitchen to break up the argument. When employees returned to the kitchen, they could hear the victim saying they couldn’t breathe because they were lying face down with the suspect on top of them, documents said.

The employees verbally asked the suspect to stop, and he shook his head. When employees attempted to physically stop the suspect, he reportedly began punching one of the employees.

The program director was called and was able to calm the suspect over the phone, the affidavit states. After the incident, investigators were able to contact the suspect’s emergency contacts, and his sister was present during the police interview.

The suspect told police he got into a fight when they asked why they were there to talk to him. According to the police affidavit, the suspect said, “He didn’t know if he, the other person, was dead or not.”

Officers said they determined the suspect’s actions were premeditated “with the knowledge that his actions could kill the victim.” The suspect was ordered held without bail because he had a previous conviction for assault and because of the seriousness of the alleged crime.