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Judge: Prior domestic violence evidence can be used against Weber County murder suspect

By Mark Shenefelt standard-Examiner - | Jul 8, 2021

OGDEN — A judge ruled Thursday that prosecutors may introduce evidence of previous alleged domestic violence incidents in the case of Andy Dennis, who is accused of fatally strangling his ex-girlfriend.

At the close of a hearing in 2nd District Court, Judge Joseph Bean said the value of the evidence outweighs the possible prejudicial impact the prior cases may have against Dennis with the jury.

Dennis, 37, of Pleasant View, is charged with murder, abuse of a corpse and obstructing justice in the May 10, 2020, death of Lopine “Chynna” Toilolo, 33, of West Jordan. Her body was found two days later near the river in Ogden Canyon.

According to deputy Weber County Attorney Dean Saunders, Toilolo’s death shares two circumstances with a previous alleged attack against the woman and another against Dennis’ ex-wife: strangulation and the taking of the victim’s cellphone.

In charging documents, Weber County authorities alleged that Dennis took Toilolo’s phone from her while they were arguing at his home, strangled her and dumped her body near the Ogden River in Ogden Canyon.

Prosecutors filed a motion asking Bean to allow them to present during the upcoming trial details of Dennis’ alleged assault against Toilolo in December 2019 in Davis County. He was awaiting trial in that case when Toilolo was killed. Police alleged Dennis choked Toilolo in that case and took her phone.

The prosecution also asked to introduce an account by Dennis’ ex-wife that he had choked her and taken her phone as well.

Grant Morrison, Dennis’ attorney, argued that choking and taking phones are common in domestic violence cases and therefore those circumstances alone are not sufficient to overcome defendants’ protections against character evidence from other cases.

But Saunders said the past evidence helps establish motive and serves to identify Dennis as a suspect. “This is a largely circumstantial case, and if the evidence is probative, it is necessary to the state’s case,” Saunders said.

Dennis’ trial is scheduled to begin Aug. 16. and there will be a final pretrial hearing July 22.

He is charged with first-degree felony murder, third-degree felony abuse or desecration of a body and two counts of second-degree felony obstructing justice. Police alleged Dennis coached his two children to lie about what happened at their home the night Toilolo was killed.

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