MURRAY, Utah — Officers are identifying the man who reportedly broke into a Murray home before being shot by the homeowner.
The suspect has been identified at Andrew Wayne Miller, and the Deseret News is reporting Miller has a history of drug and shoplifting-related charges.
Authorities say Miller entered the home near 400 East and 5900 South just before 7 pm. The man either broke in or walked in, but he was not invited. And the homeowner told officers he did not know the man.
“Yes, it was forced entry,” Murray Police Officer Kenny Bass said. “There was a sliding gas door that was damaged, and the entry was made through that.”
Even though the facts may seem clear-cut, at first, investigators say they still have a lot of work they have to finish.
They still don’t know what exactly Miller was looking for or why he targeted that particular house. Bass says there was nothing that would indicate to them that this was a drug deal gone bad.
“It’s believed, at this point of the investigation, that they don’t know each other,” Bass said.
However, it’s not up to the police to determine if the shooting was justified, even if they believe the homeowner was just defending himself.
“Typically, what happens is that they do the interviews with him, they look at all the evidence, they complete the investigation and typically, they’ll meet with a representative from the DA’s office,” Bass says, adding, “It’s customary to do that with the DA’s office and let them determine what to do.”
The man died at the hospital. Officer Bass said the homeowner was cooperating with the investigation.