Man stabbed his aunt's boyfriend before fleeing the apartment to go buy more beer, thinking he was just fine

Inset: Deon Jennings (West Valley City Police Department). Background: The Aspenwood Apartments successful West Valley City, Utah (Google Maps).

A Utah antheral who fatally stabbed his aunt's fellow aft an statement is headed to prison.

Deon Jennings, 35, was convicted by a assemblage successful August of stabbing his aunt's boyfriend, 59-year-old Willie Houston, to death, but jurors told the tribunal they believed Jennings acted successful "imperfect self-defense." According to courtroom sum by section NBC affiliate KSL, the assemblage reduced the complaint from execution to manslaughter.

Police said they responded to a telephone from the Aspenwood Apartments successful West Valley City, Utah, connected April 30, 2022, and recovered Houston connected a room floor, bleeding from his backmost and neck. He identified Jennings arsenic his attacker earlier helium was taken to the hospital, wherever helium died from his injuries.

According to KSL's reporting, Jennings fled the country aft stabbing Houston, with whom helium had an statement earlier that day. The 2 men fought implicit who should leave, and Houston yet near the apartment, wherever helium lived with his girlfriend, Jennings' aunt. When Houston returned, Jennings stabbed the older man, who past ran retired the beforehand doorway of the apartment.

Jennings told constabulary helium did not judge the older antheral was severely hurt, truthful helium ne'er considered calling 911. Jennings past near the country to bargain beer.

According to charging documents obtained by KSL, West Valley City constabulary named Jennings arsenic a fishy successful Houston's sidesplitting a fewer days later. Jennings called the constabulary but did not supply a location. He was aboriginal recovered by constabulary astatine his apartment, wherever helium told officers, "There was nary arguing that I wanted to wounded him."

KSL reported that during a 2023 hearing, Jennings changed his communicative and claimed helium acted successful self-defense but did not mean to wounded Houston. In March 2026, different justice ruled that the prosecution would person to specifically disprove Jennings' assertion of self-defense, but said determination was capable grounds to beryllium that the stabbing was not justified.

During Jennings' sentencing connected Wednesday, his lawyer argued for a reduced sentence. Jennings spoke successful tribunal and expressed remorse, saying, "I deliberation it would beryllium precise important to explicate that I regret the events that took place." He added, "What happened was perfectly unacceptable, and helium didn't merit that."

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Houston's niece told the tribunal that Jennings had nary remorse and would not person contacted constabulary if not for her urging. She said, "I called him repeatedly, I reached retired to him repeatedly and I connected the dots betwixt that. It was ne'er him."

Prosecutors argued that Jennings deserved situation clip that was accordant with the jury's verdict.

The justice sentenced Jennings to 1 to 15 years successful situation with recognition for 1,659 days spent successful the Salt Lake City Jail.

The station Man stabbed his aunt's fellow earlier fleeing the flat to spell bargain much beer, reasoning helium was conscionable fine archetypal appeared connected Law & Crime.