FARMINGTON -- A Salt Lake attorney accused of embezzling money from a Davis County woman in her 80s may or may not be dead, says Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings.
On Tuesday, Rawlings said his lead investigator is "actively following up on leads" as to whether Thomas R. Blonquist actually died of natural causes in China on July 31.
"Unfortunately, the information we received from China through the American Consulate contains no objective scientific verification that the deceased body that was cremated was actually that of Thomas Blonquist," Rawlings said.
"We have additional leads we're following up on, but it would be prudent that I not discuss what they are."
An obituary that ran in September said Blonquist, 73, died of natural causes on July 31 while on a business trip in Kunming, China.
The family hosted a celebration of Blonquist's life Oct. 1, which was his birthday.
Blonquist is charged with two counts of securities fraud, one count of theft and one count of exploitation of a disabled or elder adult, all second-degree felonies.
Investigators said Blonquist stole nearly $250,000 in 2006 from a Davis County woman who was in her 80s.
Judge John R. Morris issued a no-bail warrant for Blonquist in August following a hearing in 2nd District Court.
Blonquist, who represented himself at his last court hearing in June, said he was working on a business venture and was planning to travel to China. If the business venture was successful, he said, he would have a check for the woman by Aug. 15.
Blonquist, if convicted of the second-degree felonies, was facing sentences of one to 15 years in Utah State Prison. Even though he is charged with four second-degree felonies, the maximum time he would serve if convicted would be 30 years, Rawlings said.
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