In the quiet community of Cedar City, Utah, the life of 17-year-old KayLee Dutton was tragically cut short on the night of January 17, 2025. A vibrant young woman known for her adventurous spirit and love for dirt bikes, she was a cherished daughter, granddaughter, sister, and friend. Her life, filled with the promise of graduation and future endeavors, ended in a senseless act of violence that has left her family and community in mourning.
On that fateful Friday evening, KayLee was out
for a drive with a friend in her small red pickup truck. What began as a typical night for the two teenagers turned into a terrifying ordeal when they noticed they were being followed by a dark-colored truck. For several miles, the pursuing vehicle chased them, flashing its high beams. The chase culminated at the intersection of Midvalley Road and 4300 West, where the dark truck pulled alongside KayLee's vehicle and a barrage of gunfire erupted. Struck by the bullets, KayLee lost control of her truck, which veered off the road and crashed through a vinyl fence. Despite the swift response of law enforcement and paramedics, her injuries were too severe, and she was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Cedar City Hospital. Her friend, a passenger in the truck, sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led authorities to a townhome complex in Cedar City. Within a day, four suspects were taken into custody. Michael Edward Hess-Witacki, 23, and Ethan Andrew Galloway, 23, were identified as the primary suspects and subsequently charged with murder, along with multiple counts of illegal discharge of a firearm and obstruction of justice. Two other men, Aldric S. Felipe, 21, and Matthew D. Sorber-Petri, 22, were also arrested and charged with obstruction of justice and other offenses for their alleged roles in concealing the crime.
According to investigators, the motive for this tragic event stemmed from a fatal misunderstanding. Hess-Witacki and Galloway reportedly told police they believed they were being stalked by the occupants of the red pickup truck after seeing it in their neighborhood. It was later determined that KayLee and her friend were in the area for reasons entirely unrelated to the suspects and had no connection to them. In a misguided act of perceived self-defense, the suspects pursued and opened fire on the vehicle, firing approximately 12 rounds and ending a young life full of potential. The community continues to grapple with the shocking and random nature of the violence that took KayLee Dutton from those who loved her.
