See PDFs of the Davis County Attorney's Office's press release on the Sloops' charges and Stephanie Sloop's and Nathanael Sloop's charging documents.
FARMINGTON -- The Davis County Attorney's Office on Friday filed aggravated murder charges against Nathanael and Stephanie Sloop in the death of 4-year-old Ethan Stacy.
County Attorney Troy Rawlings, in a press release Friday morning, confirmed the Sloops have also been charged with second degree felony child abuse, second degree felony obstruction of justice and third degree felony abuse or desecration of a body. Nathanael Sloop has also been charged with third degree damaging a jail.
Aggravated murder carries the following possible mandatory penalties:
* If Notice of Intent to Seek the Death Penalty is filed: 1) death; 2) life without parole; or 3) an indeterminate term of 25 years to life.
* If Notice of Intent to Seek the Death Penalty is not filed: 1) life without parole; or 2) an indeterminate term of 20 years to life.
The Sloops were arrested after the body of Ethan Stacy was found in the mountains near Powder Mountain on May 10. Stephanie Sloop and Nathanael Sloop are Ethan's mother and stepfather.
Rawlings said, "Our decision regarding the death penalty will be made within the time allowed by law. Any Notice of Intent as to either defendant will come only after we have received all relevant evidence and information, after we have carefully considered statutory aggravating or mitigating circumstances, after further consultation with the Attorney General's Office (including the Appellate Division), after we have consulted with Layton P.D., and particularly after we have had extensive discussions with Ethan's family."
Click here to sign the "Ethan's Law" petition.
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