PAYSON — Two persons, a man and a woman, are dead following a shooting in Payson Canyon, police said.
The man appeared to have died in a suicide attempt. The woman’s death was accidental, police say.
Police have identified the man as Ethan Larry Bertrum Timoko, 27, of Orem, and the woman as Nakylee Hope Marvin, 24, of Springville.
At 12:30 a.m. on Saturday police responded to a report of a shooting in the area of Maple Lake and the Maple Bench campground, Cannon said.
The 911 caller told dispatch that a man and a woman had been “arguing in the area for several hours,” police stated in a press release.
Detectives learned that Timoko was a sitting in a vehicle during the argument. Marvin was standing outside of the vehicle.
The caller said he heard a woman scream. He heard a gunshot.
The man was in possession of a handgun. Detectives say he turned the gun on himself and shot himself in the head. The gunshot appeared to be immediately fatal for the man, according to the police statement.
The bullet traveled outside of the vehicle and struck the woman in the neck, police say.
The gunshot critically injured the woman.
Payson Fire & Rescue provided medical treatment to the woman, but the first responders were unable to save her.
Police say her death appears to be accidental.
Officials took the bodies of the man and woman to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Taylorsville.
Police say the man and woman have a five-year-old daughter.
Cannon said there was another adult and two young girls in the area. This unnamed adult was not involved in the shooting, police say. The three persons were not harmed in the shooting.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call the suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-TALK.
Crisis Hotlines
Utah County Crisis Line: 801-691-5433
Salt Lake County/UNI Crisis Line: 801-587-3000
Wasatch Mental Health Crisis Line: 801-373-7393
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Trevor Project Hotline for LGBTQ teens: 1-866-488-7386
Online resources
NAMI Utah: namiut.org
Utah Chapter-American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: afsputah.com
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org