On April 27, 1991, the life of 58-year-old Margie Marie Stocks Rogers was brutally cut short in Grand County, Utah. A female victim of a violent encounter, her death was not an isolated incident but the final act in a deadly spree carried out by a recently paroled killer. The events of that day would unravel to reveal a story of senseless violence that spanned across multiple states.
Margie and her husband were the owners of a store located on Interstate 70, a place of business that
tragically became a crime scene. It was here that her body was discovered. An investigation into her death revealed the horrific nature of the crime; she had been sexually assaulted and then shot twice in the head. The tranquility of the rural Utah landscape was shattered by this brutal act, leaving a community in shock and a family devastated.
The search for her killer was swift. The day after Margie's murder, on April 28, 1991, law enforcement apprehended Phillip Carl Jablonski in Kansas. Jablonski, a man with a history of violence, was on a killing spree that had begun days earlier in California. His capture brought an end to his rampage, which included the murders of four other individuals before he reached Utah. Among his victims were his wife, Carol Spadoni, and his mother-in-law, Eva Petersen.
Further investigation into Jablonski's crimes uncovered a chilling detail: he had made an audio recording describing his gruesome acts, including the murder of Margie Rogers. This, along with other evidence, led to his conviction for the murders. Phillip Carl Jablonski was subsequently sentenced to death for his crimes and died in prison in 2019. His arrest and conviction brought a measure of justice for Margie Rogers and his other victims, though it could never erase the pain and loss he inflicted.
