A 17-year-old girl, KayLee Dutton, was tragically killed on January 17 in a shooting allegedly driven by a misunderstanding. The suspects believed she and her friend were stalking them, police say. Dutton was fatally shot in a hail of bullets while driving with an 18-year-old friend. One of her mother’s last words to her was, “Just be careful.”
Four men—Aldric Felipe, 21; Ethan Galloway, 23; Michael Hess-Witucki, 23; and Matthew Sorber-Petrie, 22—have been arrested in connection with the killing. Hess-Witucki and Galloway face charges of murder and 12 counts each of felony discharge of a firearm. All four suspects also face obstruction of justice charges, along with allegations of illegal substance possession.
Arrested on January 18, the suspects remain in Iron County Jail without bail. The tragic sequence began when Dutton and her friend left an apartment complex, where investigators say both the victims and suspects had been for unrelated reasons. The suspects, driving a black truck identified as belonging to Hess-Witucki, allegedly began tailing the girls, told FOX 13 News Utah.
Police affidavits and surveillance footage place the suspects’ truck at the scene. Hess-Witucki, reportedly driving, and Galloway, allegedly the shooter, admitted to the crime in interviews. “[Their] justification for chasing the victim’s vehicle was they believed they had previously observed the victim’s vehicle in their neighborhood and presumed the occupants were stalking them,” the affidavit stated.
Sorber-Petrie, who stayed behind with Felipe at the apartment, is accused of supplying the gun used in the shooting, knowing the intent to confront Dutton. Dutton’s grieving parents paid tribute to their daughter in an emotional interview with KSTU, Salt Lake City’s Fox affiliate. Her father, Waylon Dutton, recounted their last conversation: “She came in.
Her mom said, ‘Where are you going now, KayLee?’ She said, ‘I don’t know. We’re going to go find something.’ My last words to her were, ‘Just be careful.’” The suspects’ reported motive and remorse further deepened the tragedy. Galloway allegedly wrote a letter to Dutton’s parents expressing regret.
However, the senseless violence has left a family devastated and a community mourning. The case serves as a chilling reminder of the consequences of impulsive actions and the devastating effects of misjudgments that escalate into violence.