Man finds scene of apparent murder and attempted suicide

Amanda Lee Hoyt, 26, of North Logan and her fiancé Christian A. Emerson, 26, of Smithfield.

LOGAN — Police are continuing to investigate the death of 26-year-old Amanda Lee Hoyt of North Logan, and the attempted suicide of her boy friend 26-year-old Christian A. Emerson of Smithfield. The couple was found in a white Subaru, Saturday night in North Logan.

Hoyt was a passenger in the car and reportedly had multiple gunshot wounds, including at least one to her head. Emerson was the driver and had also been shot and was unconscious.

Matt Roderick lives in the area and was driving home Saturday night around 11:50 p.m. when he saw the car partially on the sidewalk and park strip with the engine still running.

After first knocking on the window, Roderick said he opened the car door and saw Emerson had a gun.

“The guy was waking up,” said Roderick. “He was staring and moving and when I saw the gun, I had to move it because I didn’t know if he would wake up and would want to use it. That was when I started figuring out, this was something big.”

North Park Police Chief Kim Hawkes said Hoyt had multiple gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Roderick said it looked like Hoyt had at least one shot to her head. Emerson also appeared to have a gunshot wound to his head.

“There was blood running down his forehead and around the sides for his forehead,” said Roderick. “I’m not sure where he was shot exactly but it must have been on the top of his head.”

Police said Emerson was transported by ambulance to the Cache Valley Hospital and later airlifted to a Salt Lake Area hospital. He is currently in critical condition.

Several people have said the couple were considering getting married. They were reportedly at a party earlier Saturday night and were seen drinking.

Hawkes said the case is still under investigation.

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