In the quiet city of Cedar City, Utah, the life of Jeremey Roy Hunter, a 47-year-old White male, was tragically cut short on the evening of Sunday, May 10, 2020. Born on September 20, 1972, Hunter was a longtime resident of the area, having been raised and educated there. He was known by friends and family for his love of the outdoors, hunting, and a passion for loud rock and roll music and cars, particularly a 1979 Mercury Comet he had restored.
The peaceful spring evening was shattered when police responded to a report of shots fired in the area of the 100 block of Sunset Drive at approximately 10:38 p.m.. Upon their arrival, officers discovered Hunter deceased at the scene, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The investigation quickly identified a suspect, 26-year-old Chaz Bennett, who had fled the scene on foot.
Law enforcement located Bennett a few blocks away from the initial scene. As officers attempted to make contact, they observed that he was armed with two rifles. While commanding Bennett to drop his weapons, he fled a short distance before turning a gun on himself. Officers immediately rendered aid, and Bennett was transported to a local hospital and later airlifted to another facility with life-threatening injuries.
In the days that followed, the investigation continued as Bennett remained on life support. Tragically, he succumbed to his self-inflicted injuries and was pronounced dead on May 13, 2020. Authorities confirmed that the case was being investigated as a murder and attempted suicide. The motive for the shooting remains under investigation. During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that several bullets had exited the home where Hunter was killed, striking two other nearby residences, though no other injuries were reported.
