In the pre-dawn hours of June 20, 2018, in Salt Lake City, Utah, a 54-year-old White male named Thomas Stanfield arrived at the plaza outside the Department of Workforce Services. Stanfield, who was experiencing homelessness, was reportedly there early to be first in line to seek employment assistance. It was a routine he apparently followed often in his efforts to find work.
On this particular morning, however, his search for an opportunity would end in a fatal encounter.
A private security guard, 26-year-old Timothy Lutes, was nearing the end of his 12-hour shift patrolling the area. The plaza was closed to the public at that hour to deter loitering and camping. Lutes confronted Stanfield, telling him he needed to leave the property. The interaction quickly escalated after Lutes allegedly shone his flashlight in Stanfield's face. This led to a physical altercation between the two men, with both ending up on the ground at one point.
Following the scuffle, Stanfield began to walk away from Lutes. Despite Lutes' initial claim to police that Stanfield had taken his firearm and pointed it at him, surveillance footage of the incident told a different story. The video evidence showed Stanfield repeatedly trying to disengage and walk away, with Lutes reinitiating contact each time. As Stanfield was once again walking away from him, Lutes raised his firearm and shot him twice in the back. Thomas Stanfield died at the scene.
Timothy Lutes was arrested and charged with the murder of Thomas Stanfield. The investigation by the Salt Lake City Police Department relied heavily on the surveillance footage, which contradicted Lutes's claim of self-defense. Stanfield's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Lutes and his employer, Citadel Security. Ultimately, Timothy Lutes was convicted for the killing and sentenced to prison. He received a sentence of two to 20 years for a second-degree felony murder charge with a gun enhancement, and a consecutive sentence of five years to life for unlawful use of a firearm.
