Posted by Travis Uresk | April 5th, 2023 | Kidnapping |
By Travis Uresk
4/5/23
Vernal, Ut.- On 1/5/2019, at around 11:00 pm, Officer Cannon was dispatched to a third-party report of a male who stated he was being held hostage at 99 E 300 N. Central Dispatch stated the male had contacted the complainant via Facebook messenger and stated there was a large male subject with glasses and a gun holding him hostage. The complainant stated that the messages were to call law enforcement and tell them to hurry because he was tripping out.
Officer Cannon, Sgt Smith, and Officer Isaacson arrived at the residence. As they walked toward the home, they saw an opening in the south side window about six inches wide. They saw a male inside the home wearing a bandanna covering his face.
Sgt Smith and Officer Isaacson continued to watch through the opening in the window as Officer Cannon knocked on the front door. A male subject answered the door and stepped outside to speak with the Officer.
The man stated that he was tripping out due to a large male inside with a gun. He said the male had come over with another one of his friends. He stated that when Cody Alvarez got to the home, he pulled a black pistol with a tactical light out of his backpack.
The man stated he asked Cody to put the gun away, and he did. Cody later became upset about his bandanna coming up missing, and Cody grabbed the gun from his bag and went outside, where he began pacing back and forth.
Shortly after, Cody returned to the home with his friends, Kevin Walker and Dylan Smuin. Cody pulled his gun out again, saying, "Nobody was leaving until he got his bandanna back."
The three Officers entered the residence with their service weapons drawn. They saw three people sitting in the living room. Officer Isaacson stayed in the living room with the three suspects while Sgt Smith and Officer Cannon continued to clear the rest of the home.
Officer Cannon made contact with Kevin and Dylan outside one of the bedrooms at the rear of the home. They were escorted to the living room with the other subjects. A male and a female were found lying down in a closet in one of the bedrooms. They also were taken into the living room.
None of these subjects matched the description of the male named Cody that the male described earlier.
The man being held hostage entered the living room and stated that all of the people who were previously there were present.
Trooper Majors then checked the rear of the residence and found Cody hiding behind a shed. Cpl Pummell found a black backpack near where Cody was hiding and asked him if it was his. Cody said it wasn’t.
Cpl Pummell looked inside the backpack and found two loaded black pistols, one of which had a tactical light, and both pistols had the serial numbers filed off. The weapons were then unloaded, and the bag was continued to be looked through. There were more magazines for the pistols and a wallet with Cody's ID.
Cody was placed under arrest for some active statewide warrants.
A search warrant was applied for and approved and executed. Dylan had been placed under arrest for an active statewide warrant. Kevin was arrested for not allowing the residence's occupants to leave by standing in front of the front door while Cody pulled the guns out of his backpack.
During the search of the residence, a black jacket was found in the rear room. In the jacket was a magazine for a .22 pistol. A loaded 9mm pistol in a soft black case was in the same room underneath a camo-colored hatchet.
A records check on the pistol came back to be stolen out of West Valley, Utah.
Also, during the search, a loaded .22 pistol was found under a laundry basket in the living room. The serial number was also filed off. This pistol belonged to Kevin, who was guarding the front door. Kevin removed the pistol from his waistband and hid it under the basket. Kevin was also wearing a black jacket. The witnesses were unaware of the 9mm pistol.
A witness stated Dylon had knives on his waistband and a bandanna over his face as he stood near the kitchen during the incident, along with a camo hatchet.
At the jail Officer Cannon met with Dylon, Kevin, and Cody.
Interview with the suspects: By Officer Cannon
I first met with Dylon, at which time I asked him if he recalled and understood being advised his rights by Sgt Smith, which he stated he did. I asked Dylon what had occurred at the residence this evening. Dylon stated that all he knew was that Cody wanted his bandanna back.
Dylon stated that he didn't really know Cody and that Kevin was Cody's friend. Dylon stated he was wearing the bandanna on his face when we arrived because he was cold. Dylon stated that all that he brought to the residence was the knives on his waist.
I asked Dylon who all had guns in the residence, and he stated Cody was the only one he saw. I asked Dylon if he had a gun with him at the residence, and he stated he did not.
I made contact with Kevin at the jail and asked him if he recalled and understood being advised of his rights, and he stated he did. I initially asked Kevin what was going on at the residence, and he stated he was tired and couldn't say.
I asked Kevin what was going on with the guns at the residence, and he stated he felt like he was going to be shot by Cody. Kevin stated he knew that Cody had two guns on his person at the residence. I asked Kevin if he had a firearm while at the residence, and he stated he didn't come to the residence with a gun.
Kevin stated while he was at the residence, Cody attempted to give him a .22 pistol, but he slapped it away. Kevin stated he didn't ever place the .22 in his waistband. Kevin also mentioned the .9mm pistol that was in a case but didn't know where it went. I asked Kevin if he ever went and sat down at the residence, and he stated all he did was stand by the front door.
I asked Kevin if he was wearing a black jacket while in the residence, and he stated he was. Kevin stated when I knocked on the door, he went and hid in the rear bedroom of the residence, where he took off the jacket and placed it on a box. The jacket Kevin stated was his was the jacket I had located with the .22 magazine in the pocket. Kevin stated he wasn't aware of Cody's intentions while at the residence but knew that he had been angry prior to going there.
After meeting with Kevin, I met with Cody. I asked Cody if he recalled and understood being advised of his rights, and he requested to read them again. I read Cody his rights, per Miranda, in which he stated he understood.
I asked Kevin what had occurred at the residence. Cody stated that he had gone to the residence with JN. Cody initially stated that he was in the residence when Kevin and Dylon came in angry about their property being stolen. I informed Cody that I had several different witnesses stating otherwise. Cody eventually stated that he had gone to the residence to hang out, and while there, he believed someone had taken his sentimental bandanna.
Cody stated he became angry and went outside, where he met with Kevin and Dylon. Cody stated that he, Kevin, and Dylon had agreed to work together to get his bandanna back. Cody stated that he went into the residence, where he pulled one of the guns out of the backpack and displayed it to everyone in the room.
Cody stated he never pointed the gun at anyone but made it clear that he wanted his bandanna back. I asked Cody if he made the statement that no one could leave until his bandanna was returned, and he stated he didn't say that and that KF had. Cody stated that he had gotten the guns in his backpack from a kid that had just turned 18 and was scared of having the guns.
Cody stated he knew that Kevin or Dylon had a .9mm on their person during the incident but refused to say who. Based on the above information, Dylon was booked into jail for six counts of Aggravated Kidnapping, Possession of a Stolen Firearm, and his statewide warrant.
End of report.
