GUILTY UT - Kailey Vijil, 12, found strangled, West Valley City, 17 July 2015

[MsMarple]

A medical examiner determined that Kailey Vijil was killed by "ligature strangulation." Her body was found "with a shirt wrapped around her neck," charging documents state.
...
When the older sister told her mother that Kailey had left with the boy, the mother tried calling Kailey on her cellphone but she did not answer, according to the charges. About 90 minutes later, the mother approached two West Valley police officers at a convenience store while looking for her daughter and she told them her daughter was missing.

The officers found Kailey's body in a field near 3600 South and 5200 West just before 3 a.m. by "pinging" her cellphone. West Valley police previously said there was evidence of a struggle at the scene.
...
The 15-year-old had previously been referred to juvenile court three times for misdemeanors and infractions. He was arrested for investigation of possession of drug paraphernalia in October of 2014, theft in February and burglary nine days after his theft arrest, according to court records.

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=35606844&nid=960&s_cid=rec1

How awful for the mother and sister! And ugh - the boy was trolling for victims. I wonder how long those fantasies had been rolling around in his head?

He was released from a detention facility on July 9 - about a week before he murdered Kailey.

 

[bluesneakers]

He lived in their neighborhood, is that right? Was he familiar to the family? (I apologize if that was covered and I missed it.)

 

[margarita25]

The suspect lured Vijil outside by telling her he needed some sort of help, Russo said.

"She was a good-natured child who was fooled ... and paid the ultimate price for it," Russo said.

Russo would not provide details as to what sort of help the suspect claimed to need, but said investigators are aware of no other contact, digital or in-person, between the boy and Vijil.

Not long before Vijil disappeared around midnight, the suspect tried a similar ruse with an 11-yr-old girl who lives in the same neighborhood, Russo said, but that girl's parents intervened.

The 11-year-old's report helped police identify the suspect. Officers found him about 1:30 p.m. Friday in a different neighborhood, but Russo didn't say where.

Neighbors said that the boy had disturbing conversations in recent days with young girls who lived on his street.

Stephanie Sala said he came over to her house on Thursday evening and asked to play with her 5-year-old niece. She told the boy no.

Two days before that, at a different house, he approached 8-year-old MM. M said he asked if she wanted to go with him to see a fort in an abandoned house. She also refused to go with him.




UUGGHHHHHHHHH----lock him up, throw away the key....:jail:

A medical examiner determined that Kailey Vijil was killed by "ligature strangulation." Her body was found "with a shirt wrapped around her neck," charging documents state.
...
When the older sister told her mother that Kailey had left with the boy, the mother tried calling Kailey on her cellphone but she did not answer, according to the charges. About 90 minutes later, the mother approached two West Valley police officers at a convenience store while looking for her daughter and she told them her daughter was missing.


The officers found Kailey's body in a field near 3600 South and 5200 West just before 3 a.m. by "pinging" her cellphone. West Valley police previously said there was evidence of a struggle at the scene.
...
The 15-year-old had previously been referred to juvenile court three times for misdemeanors and infractions. He was arrested for investigation of possession of drug paraphernalia in October of 2014, theft in February and burglary nine days after his theft arrest, according to court records.


http://www.ksl.com/?sid=35606844&nid=960&s_cid=rec1


How awful for the mother and sister! And ugh - the boy was trolling for victims. I wonder how long those fantasies had been rolling around in his head?


He was released from a detention facility on July 9 - about a week before he murdered Kailey.

Foxfire has mentioned before how some serial killers begin killing as young as age 14...

 

[Donjeta]

“My immediate concern is that my client may not really understand what’s going on,” defense attorney Bill Russell told the judge.

Judge Michie granted a brief recess for his lawyers to meet with him in a holding cell. When they came back, his attorneys raised more questions about whether he understood the process or was overwhelmed with the court proceedings.

“To be perfectly frank with the court, in talking to him, I don’t believe there’s any real understanding,” said Patrick Corum, another attorney appointed to represent the boy. “I believe he’s learned to nod along when asked ‘Do you understand?'”

http://fox13now.com/2015/07/22/teen-suspect-makes-first-court-appearance-in-kailey-vijil-murder/

If he is certified as an adult and convicted of aggravated murder, he could only face life in prison. If he remains in the juvenile system and convicted, the teen can only be detained until he is 21, Simms said.

 

[poppyfrock]

EEK! These people are just everywhere. If you watch this video you will see a man with the initials D.G. speaking of how he is supporting Kailey's family and the family of the 15 year old perp.
http://www.good4utah.com/story/d/st...hbors-for-famili/84638/NJHjDJGMxEGXw7LQUkgjew

He is also seen here:
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=85234

:gasp:

 

[bettiepageturner]

EEK! These people are just everywhere. If you watch this video you will see a man with the initials D.G. speaking of how he is supporting Kailey's family and the family of the 15 year old perp.
http://www.good4utah.com/story/d/st...hbors-for-famili/84638/NJHjDJGMxEGXw7LQUkgjew

He is also seen here:
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=85234

:gasp:

Wow, if that's the same person, nice catch.. This trash has got to stop being normalized! ugh.

 

[PastTense]

Oct. 15, 2015

Attorneys for a 15-year-old West Valley City boy — who is accused of killing and sexually assaulting his 12-year-old neighbor — asked a judge on Thursday for more time to decide whether they will ask for a competency evaluation for the boy.

The boy is charged in 3rd District Juvenile Court with first-degree-felony aggravated murder and first-degree-felony rape of a child in the July death of Kailey Vijil.

The teenager was in court Thursday afternoon, where his attorneys asked Judge James Michie to hold off until at least December to set a preliminary hearing and certification hearing. Defense attorney Monica Diaz Greene told the judge that the extra time was needed as they consult experts and decide whether a competency evaluation was necessary.

In past hearings, attorneys had said they feared the teen does not understand the court process or proceedings and may not be mentally competent to participate in his own defense and stand trial.

http://www.sltrib.com/news/3066890-155/judge-extends-competency-evaluation-for-utah

 

[Rayemonde]

Oct 15th:

Judge Michie scheduled another hearing for Jan. 7 at 2 p.m. and said he wants to schedule a preliminary hearing at that time.

http://kutv.com/news/local/judge-says-time-is-of-the-essence-in-kailey-vijil-murder-trial

 

[Rayemonde]

Rest in peace, Kailey.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...earch-warrants-reveal-tell-tale-injuries.html

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

From April:

Competency hearing postponed for teen charged with murder, rape of 12-year-old girl

http://fox13now.com/2016/04/19/competency-hearing-postponed-for-teen-charged-with-murder-rape-of-12-year-old-girl/

A hearing in federal court Tuesday was postponed as a defense team works to determine if a 16-year-old boy, charged with the rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl, is competent to stand trial.

The defense says there are some very complicated issues related to the teen's medical history and social history that need to be evaluated before he can stand trial, and it's taking a long time to investigate it, which is why they need more time.

The teen’s next court date is scheduled for July 21.

 

[PastTense]

Why was the hearing in federal court? This sounds like a state case to me.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Mental evaluations ordered for Utah teen accused of raping and killing neighbor girl

http://www.sltrib.com/home/4143212-155/mental-evaluations-ordered-for-utah-teen

A juvenile court judge on Thursday ordered a competency evaluation for a West Valley City teen accused in the 2015 sexual assault and murder of his 12-year-old neighbor.

Juvenile Court Judge James Michie ordered the hearing from the bench and scheduled a two-day competency hearing for Nov. 9 and 10.

The order triggers an evaluation of the boy by the experts with the state's Department of Human Services.

But both defense attorneys and Salt Lake County prosecutors said Thursday they intend to hire independent experts, so the teen will undergo three evaluations, altogether.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Closed competency hearing underway for teen accused of raping, killing girl

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865668723/Closed-competency-hearing-underway-for-teen-accused-of-raping-killing-girl.html?pg=all

A four-day competency hearing for a teenage boy accused of raping and killing his 12-year-old neighbor is underway, but it remains closed to the public.

The hearings will address whether the teen — who was 15 when prosecutors say he lured Kailey Vijil from her home, raped and strangled her, and abandoned her body in a field — is capable of understanding the charges against him and facing court proceedings.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

It's unknown if the judge's decision will be made public.

Behind closed doors: Fighting for public access in juvenile courts

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865669029/Behind-closed-doors-Fighting-for-public-access-in-juvenile-courts.html

Another juvenile court case with closed proceedings involves a 17-year-old West Valley boy who police say lured his 12-year-old neighbor from her home late at night under the guise of helping him look for his lost cat. The boy is charged with raping the girl, strangling her with a T-shirt, then leaving her naked body in a horse pasture. Police and neighbors say the teen had been trying to lure other young girls from their homes using the same ruse.

A five-day competency hearing for the teenager is underway and continues Monday. But that hearing has been closed to the public, despite attempts to intervene by attorneys representing the Deseret News and KSL. It's unclear whether the public will even be able to know the judge's ultimate decision about whether the teen is competent to stand trial because a juvenile judge's orders aren't considered public. If journalists aren't in a courtroom when orders are issued, will the public know what is happening with the boy?

 

[OkieGranny]

http://gephardtdaily.com/local/kailey-vijil-not-competent/

A Utah 17-year-old has been ruled not competent to stand trial in the rape and strangulation of 12-year-old Kailey Vijil.

 

[Rayemonde]

I wonder if he is incompetent due to mental illness, or due to learning disability. If the latter, he may never be competent.

 

[Rayemonde]

Third District Juvenile Judge James Michie announced Friday that the boy suffers from multiple mental disorders and limited cognitive abilities, all of which currently prevent him from adequately communicating with his attorneys, understanding the allegations against him or comprehending the judicial process.

"The minor suffers from specific limitations and deficits, which are real, and in some cases significant," Michie said.

However, the judge expressed his belief that while the teen is not competent to face the charges at this time, he may be in the future.

Meanwhile, Kailey's family said through their attorney Friday that their daughter has been forgotten as the case has stood frozen in court.

"The hard thing for the family is it's been nearly a year and half since the crime, and Kailey has been forgotten in all of this. It's been all about the defendant," attorney Spencer Banks said Friday. "They just want everyone to remember they lost this completely innocent girl."

https://www.ksl.com/?sid=42599461&nid=148

 

[Rayemonde]

In his ruling on Friday, Michie did not disclose what the boy suffered from, but said "the preponderance of the evidence has shown that the minor suffers from more than one mental disorder, intellectual disability or related condition."...

Judge Michie ordered a plan to restore the boy to competency to face trial. But because he is a juvenile, he cannot be sent to the state hospital like adult defendants. So a hearing will be held next month to decide what to do with him. Until then, he will remain in juvenile detention.

https://www.google.com/amp/fox13now...ailey-vijil/amp/?client=ms-android-sonymobile

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Efforts begin to restore competency of Utah teen accused of raping, killing 12-year-old girl

http://www.sltrib.com/news/4830693-155/efforts-begin-to-restore-competency-of

On Tuesday, Michie reviewed an "attainment plan" geared towards restoring the boy's competency. Details of that plan were not discussed in open court.

"We have some work to do," the judge told the teen. "And I want you to work as hard as you can."

The boy's case will be reviewed in court again on April 18, the judge ordered, and the teen will continue to remain in a juvenile detention facility until then.

Vijil's family was not in the courtroom on Tuesday. Their attorney, Spencer Banks, said after the hearing that they are hoping the case moves forward quickly.

"We are a year-and-a-half after Kailey [has] passed away," Banks said. "And we still really haven't even started the case. We can't start until he's found competent. That's our hope: that the attainment plan works, that he's found competent and the case can proceed."

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Competency restoration efforts ongoing for teen accused of raping, killing 12-year-old girl

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865678084/Competency-restoration-efforts-ongoing-for-teen-accused-of-raping-killing-12-year-old-girl.html

Competency restoration efforts are ongoing for a teenage boy accused of luring a 12-year-old girl from her home before raping and strangling her.

A status hearing held Tuesday marked what is expected to be the halfway point of efforts to bring the now 17-year-old boy to a cognitive level that would allow him to face the charges against him.

The teenager is accused in juvenile court of first-degree felony counts of aggravated murder and rape of a child in the case of 12-year-old Kailey Vijil. The boy was 15 years old at the time police say he raped and killed his young neighbor.

Prosecutors have said they will seek to have the teen certified to face the charges as an adult. However, that question can't be addressed until the boy is found competent.

Spencer Banks, an attorney representing Kailey's family, reiterated their belief that the boy is capable to face the charges stemming from their daughter's death.

"They're still of the feeling that he is competent," Banks said. "(They believe) he will be found competent by the court as well, and no matter how long it takes, they're going to be at every hearing until justice is served on this."

According to a Department of Human Services caseworker, the boy is about halfway through a 10-module curriculum meant to help him reach a legal threshold for his case to proceed. He is expected to complete the course before his next hearing, scheduled for July 13.