Las Vegas girl, 16, and boyfriend, 18, are arrested in Salt Lake City after they 'stabbed her father to death, tried to dismember his body with a chainsaw, and set fire to his house' - before they drove 400 miles in victim's stolen car
A 16-year-old girl from Las Vegas and her boyfriend have been accused of murdering and attempting to dismember the teen's father, who had been against their relationship, before fleeing to Salt Lake City in the victim's car.
The suspects, identified in court documents as Sierra Halseth, 16, and Aaron Guerrero, 18, were taken into custody in Utah on Tuesday, where they remained jailed pending their extradition back to Nevada to face counts of open murder in connection with the death of Daniel Halseth.
The incident began unfolding on Friday afternoon, when firefighters responded to a call about a house on fire in the 8400 block of Dunphy Court.
Aaron Guerreo, 18 (left), and his girlfriend, Sierra Halseth, 16, are facing counts of open murder for the killing of the girl's father, Daniel Halseth, 45 (right)
First responders arrived at Halseth's home in Las Vegas on Friday to find his burnt body in the garage of his fire-damaged home
Police say the suspects had set fire to the property in the 8400 block of Dunphy Court in a bid to cover up the murder, before fleeing to Salt Lake City in the victim's car
When first responders entered the garage on the property, they found the homeowner's burned body.
The Clark County Coroner's Office on Tuesday positively identified the victim as Danie Halseth and determined that he died from sharp force injuries.
Police said they believe Halseth was stabbed to death before his daughter and her boyfriend set fire to the house.
According to investigators, the duo had bought a chainsaw, a circular saw and a handsaw, and tried to dismember Halseth's body, before torching the home to cover up the crime, reported ABC4.
The two teenagers then allegedly stole the victim's car and some of his money, and drove more than 400 miles to Salt Lake City.
Police said they have obtained surveillance video from several different stores, which they say shows Sierra and her boyfriend purchasing the tools, lighter fluid and bleach.
Sierra and Guerrero are expected to be extradited back to La Vegas, where they would be charged as adults.
A coroner determined that Halseth died from sharp force injuries. The divorced father-of-three was set on fire after his death
Police say Halseth had recently made comments that he did not want Guerrero dating his daughter.
Halseth was previously married to Nevada State Senator Elizabeth Halseth and had three children with her, including Sierra. At the time of his death, he worked as an executive at an IT consulting company.
Halseth was previously married to Nevada State Senator Elizabeth Halseth and had three children with her
The couple's 11-year marriage was marred by allegations of domestic violence, and ended in a contentious divorce after Halseth pleaded guilty to two counts of coercion and battery, and was sentenced to probation, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Halseth's ex-wife has since remarried and changed her last name to Helgelien.
Helgelien became concerned when she had not heard from Halseth for a while, and called his cellphone on Friday, but he did not pick up, police said. She then contacted her daughter Sierra, who claimed that her father was in the shower, and that his phone was broken.
Helgelien also called a family friend, who came by the house and discovered signs of fire and bloodstains inside the house.
Halseth's family have released a statement to 8NewsNow, saying they were heartbroken.
'We love Daniel beyond words,' the rest of the statement read. 'He loved his children and was an amazing father. We ask for privacy and respect for the family at this time.'
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