Meagan Dakota Grunwald (17) is detained, cited for speeding, by officer Preston Holgreen of the Utah state Highway Patrol, a class C misdemeanor. Meagan was found guilty of going 97-mph in an 80-mph zone in Beaver County Utah on February 14, 2014, and fined $165.00 by Judge Bradshaw of the Beaver County Justice Court. Citation Number: C136642535
At 9:06 PM Meagan’s phone sends a text message to her cousin that lives in St. George1. The text message reads “Hmm, is Will still awake? I want to look at his AK-47 and his other guns.” During the trial both Meagan and her cousin deny ever sending or receiving that text message. But forensic information specialists retrieved it from Meagan’s phone. They are able to show that the message did get sent from the phone and the phone number it was sent to. The contact in Meagan’s phone just simply said “Bug”. During the trial it was shown that her cousin went by the family nickname of “Bug” for much of her life, and that her husband’s name was Will. During the trial there was another text received from “Bug” to Meagan at 9:01 that read, “Hey, love, Will told me that you guys are here,” with a smiley face, “You should come see me.” Meagan then replies with, “Maybe.” Bug responds, “No maybe. It’s a yes.” Then at 9:06 the text about the AK-47 was sent from Meagan’s phone.
Bug’s husband Will also testified during the Meagan trial. Will during his testimony at trial, he tells the story about when he first met Angel at the beginning of January 2014. I could not find the exact date, but all indications are that it was during this same visit to southern Utah. Will explains that Tori, Meagan, Bug, and Angel came +to the restaurant that he was working at. He indicated that it was the day after they had come down, so I am guessing it was on January 3, 2014. He indicated that while Meagan, Tori, and Bug were “chitchatting” at the table that Angel came to him and asked him if he knew anywhere, he could get a firearm for him. His wording during the trial was, “he insinuated that he didn’t care if it was stolen or not. So – and I – I’m not into any crazy dealings like that. So I told him no.” He testified that the encounter was weird. He talked to him like they “were friends or something.”
The state’s opening statement set the stage for the gravity of the evidence. Justin Bechaver, a ballistics expert, presented his findings on the testing of fragments, magazines, cartridge casings, and the gun itself. His testimony linked the physical evidence to the firearm, painting a detailed picture of the events that transpired in Sergeant Wride’s and Deputy Sherwood’s vehicles, which were riddled with numerous bullet fragments.
However, the defense attorney shifted the focus to the auditory effects of firing such a weapon, especially in close proximity to Meagan. During the testimony of Trooper Blankenagel, the conversation turned to the loudness of gunshots. “That gun, according to your experience, makes a humongous sound; does it not?” the defense probed. The response was affirmative, confirming the weapon’s capability to produce an extremely loud noise, particularly when discharged within the confines of a truck’s cab. This line of questioning aimed to explore the potential impact on Meagan’s ability to hear and make judgments immediately following the shooting.
The defense delved deeper, asking Trooper Blankenagel about his experiences at the shooting range and the mandatory nature of his visits there, emphasizing the routine exposure law enforcement officers have to gunfire and its effects. This contrasted with Meagan’s presumed unfamiliarity with such loud and traumatic sounds, suggesting her possible disorientation in the wake of the gunshots.
Amidst these testimonies and analyses, the origins of the gun remained shrouded in mystery. Its acquisition and the circumstances leading to its possession by Angel were topics of speculation and debate. The courtroom became a place where the physical evidence of the gun was scrutinized under the lens of forensic science, while its auditory impact was examined for its psychological effects.
As the trial progressed, the gun remained a silent yet potent symbol of the violence and chaos of that fateful day, its story intertwined with the legal proceedings and the search for truth in a sea of unanswered questions and uncertainties.
After the incidents in this book Megean’s Uncle James was interviewed by Agent J. Adams of the Utah SDI on February 3, 2014, an Interview second interview by SDI Agents Wells and Cole on March 3, 2014, and the trial testimony of Uncle James during the Megean trial.
During the interview by Agent J. Adams Uncle James stated that Angel and Megean had traveled to Southern Utah and visited his ex-wife and daughter. He recalls that it was several weeks prior and on a Friday. That would put it the day after or close to the time that Megean was pulled over and the text messages were sent. This is the story that he shared with the Agents when interviewed.
James received a call from Angel stating, “Meagan said I could trust you.” They had been staying in a hotel in either Hurricane, after being kicked out of his ex-wife’s house for being drunk. At the time of the call Megean and Angel were in Southern Utah looking at homes. He met Angel and Meagan at a hotel in Hurricane. James indicated to the Agents that Angel was “flyin” and “out in left field”.
The area they were looking for houses in is called Quichapa. Quichapa is an area where snow melts from the mountains collects in the springtime. Because of the type of soil in the area the water does not soak into the ground. The water can remain in this area for several years and commonly gets stagnant/foul smelling. The stagnant water at times can often lead to an odor in the area.
When asked if James thought that Angel was tweaking that day he replied, “one hundred percent.” He also stated that his daughter, Felicia had taken a video of Angel smoking methamphetamine, and they were all together looking at the house.
Angel told James that when they were about 7 miles west of Cedar City on Highway 56, they were looking at houses. They had stopped to look at a house for sale that had a lot of equipment around it. Angel told James that it smelled like “dead bodies”. Angel told James that it was a very “distinct smell.” Sergeant Schlosser of the Iron County Sheriff’s Office went to the area and did not find anything suspicious. Angel also told James that he noticed some guy that was doing something to some kids. Angel informed James that he smelt dead bodies and that a guy was luring people into a house that was for sale. James asked Angel what he was planning on doing. Angel asked James what he thought he should do. James told him to call the cops.
Later on, January 24, 2014, Angel also reported to this parole officer Agent Platis that he was staying in St. George at a Comfort Inn, and that he was looking for a place to live, and that Tori and Meagan Grunwald were also going to move to St. George.
- State of Utah v. Meagan Grunwald, Transcript of Proceedings, Vol. 7 (Fifth Judicial District Court, State of Utah 2015), 1286 ↩︎
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Next: 16.0 – Jerry and Angel Get Into A Fight
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