On November 1, 2014, 23-year-old Caucasian male Braden Parker Emerson, along with two companions, vanished under perplexing circumstances in Salt Lake City, Utah. Emerson, Levi Joseph Collins, 34, and Danny "Kiko" Gallegos, 35, had reportedly made plans to go ride all-terrain vehicles in Bountiful but never returned. The following day, their families reported them missing, triggering an investigation by the Salt Lake City Police Department that would slowly unravel a grim story of greed and
violence.
Two days after their disappearance, Gallegos' Chevrolet Tahoe was discovered abandoned near the Jordan River. Inside the vehicle, investigators found Collins' uninjured dog, but also ominous blood stains which DNA testing later confirmed belonged to both Emerson and Collins. For years, the case remained cold, leaving the families of the three men in an agonizing state of uncertainty. There were no answers, and the men were presumed dead.
A significant breakthrough in the case came in 2019 with the arrest of Richard Christopher. The investigation revealed that the three men were last seen heading to a meeting with Christopher. It was alleged that a dispute over a large sum of money led to their murders. According to court testimony, Christopher first shot and killed Gallegos. He then got into the vehicle with Emerson and Collins, directed them to a nearby RV, and shot them both. In an effort to conceal the crime, Christopher, with the help of his son, took the bodies to a pet crematorium where they were incinerated.
In January 2024, a jury found Richard Christopher guilty of two counts of aggravated murder for the deaths of Braden Emerson and Levi Collins. While he was acquitted of Gallegos' murder, he was found guilty of the abuse or desecration of his body. Christopher was also convicted of aggravated robbery, obstruction of justice, and illegal possession of a firearm. In March 2024, he was sentenced to 56 years to life in prison for his role in the brutal slayings that had remained a mystery for nearly a decade.
