The 58-Year-Old Player Faces Decades in Training Camp.
As reported by KSL.com:
More than nine years after three Salt Lake men mysteriously disappeared, and following years of what prosecutors call a complex and extensive investigation, a jury has convicted the man accused in the trio's killings.
Tuesday night, Richard Christopher, 58, of Salt Lake City, was found guilty by a jury of murdering Branden Emerson and Levi Collins.
The jury, however, acquitted Christopher in the killing of Danny Gallegos even though they convicted him of abusing or desecrating Gallegos' body.
In total, Christopher was found guilty of two counts of aggravated murder and aggravated robbery, first-degree felonies; obstructing justice, a second-degree felony; and three counts of abuse or desecration of a dead body and possession of a firearm by a restricted person, third-degree felonies.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 27.
"This is a horrible case of greed that led to the deaths of multiple men. We hope these convictions will help give the victims' families the chance to start healing from the tragic loss of their loved ones," Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said.
The drawn-out investigation began on Nov. 1, 2014, when Collins, 34, Danny "Kiko" Gallegos, 35, and Emerson, 23, left their homes to go ride all-terrain vehicles in Bountiful. When the trio didn't return home, their families reported them missing to Salt Lake police the next day.
Two days later, Gallegos' abandoned Chevy Tahoe was found near the Jordan River at 1740 W. 1500 South. An uninjured dog that belonged to Collins was in the vehicle. Detectives also found a large amount of blood that DNA tests would later determine to be Collins' and Emerson's.
Richard Christopher and his son, Justin Christopher, were the owners of JC Custom Jewelry, 230 W. 200 South. Justin Christopher also helped Gallegos — a drug trafficker and FBI informant — launder money, according to numerous search warrant affidavits and charging documents. Police say that on the day the three men were murdered, Gallegos went to the jewelry store with $200,000 cash for the purpose of buying a house.
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