In November 2022, Jeremy Dwayne Belt, a resident of Clearfield, Utah, was accused of the savage killings of his elderly grandparents, Janice Walker (85) and Thomas Walker (87). Perhaps as a result of his drug use, Belt got into a violent altercation with his grandparents following a disagreement with his mother. After attacking the grandparents with a tiny sledgehammer and disabling the garage door to keep them from fleeing, he used a .22 caliber firearm to shot them both in the head. Two counts of aggravated murder, which is punishable by death in Utah, were brought against him. After first being threatened with the death penalty, Belt agreed to a plea bargain, entering guilty pleas to two counts of lesser murder charges and receiving two consecutive sentences ranging from 15 years to life in prison. This plea deal included the dismissal of additional drug possession and assault charges. The killings took place right before Thanksgiving, a holiday that is usually connected to thankfulness and family get-togethers. During judicial proceedings, Belt's mental state before to the murders was also emphasized.
Jeremy Dwayne Belt. Autographed Letter, Signed. Handwritten, Commercial #10 (4.125 × 9.5 envelope). Salt Lake City, UT. November 12, 2024. Content unknown. SEALED.
Jeremy Dwayne Belt: Case Overview
Background and Charges
Jeremy Dwayne Belt, a 28-year-old man from Clearfield, Utah, was involved in a tragic and violent incident that resulted in the murder of his grandparents, Thomas Walker, 87, and Janice Walker, 85. The crime took place in November 2022 in the family’s garage. Initially charged with two counts of aggravated murder – a capital offense – Belt later pleaded guilty to two reduced counts of murder as part of a plea deal. This plea agreement led to the dismissal of several other charges including possession of a gun by a restricted person, drug possession, assault, and criminal mischief.
Incident Details
The events unfolded on November 23, 2022. Belt had been using methamphetamine the night before and consumed marijuana and Xanax earlier that day. An argument with his mother escalated when he expressed paranoid beliefs that his grandparents were trying to harm him. During this confrontation, he physically assaulted his mother by kicking her in the face.
Following this altercation, Belt confronted his grandparents as they attempted to leave the house. He disabled their means of escape by cutting the motor wire for the garage door. Trapped inside the garage, Thomas and Janice Walker were brutally attacked by Belt who used both a letter opener and a small sledgehammer to damage their car before physically assaulting them.
After incapacitating them with kicks to the chest and blows from a sledgehammer, Belt retrieved a .22 caliber rifle from his bedroom. He returned to the garage where he shot his grandmother first and then reloaded to fatally shoot his grandfather.
Legal Proceedings
Belt’s legal journey included an initial denial of involvement during police interviews post-Miranda rights reading. However, video evidence from neighbors contradicted his claims and eventually led him to confess to the murders during police interrogation.
In July following these events, Belt accepted a plea deal which resulted in two consecutive sentences of 15 years to life imprisonment for each count of murder. Additionally, he received a one-year jail sentence for an assault charge related to another case involving domestic violence against his girlfriend.
Community Impact
Thomas and Janice Walker were well-regarded members of their community in Clearfield City where they volunteered extensively with the Citizen’s Patrol until 2019. Their deaths were not only a personal tragedy for their family but also impacted those who knew them through their community service.
VIDEO:
Grandson facing murder charges after grandparents found dead in
Clearfield home |
https://youtu.be/kK65e5ijCjE
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