The lawyer for the suspect in a July 22 homicide in Tooele City will request a change of venue after an appearance in 3rd District Court Tuesday afternoon.
Jesus Eldon Aragon, 44, is charged with first-degree felony counts of murder and aggravated robbery. The Tooele man was arrested and charged with the homicide of his mother, 66-year-old Marcella Aragon of Tooele.
Jesus Aragon’s public defender, Jamie Topham, requested a continuance to file a motion for change of venue.
During his initial appearance in court on July 27, Jesus Aragon was read his charges and Judge Robert Adkins set a cash-only bail of $500,000.
Tooele City police were dispatched to Marcella Aragon’s home at 245 E. 600 North around 7:30 a.m. on July 22 for suspicious circumstances and a welfare check, according to Tooele City Police Officer Tanya Turnbow. The reporting party, who was a family member of the victim, alerted dispatch that Jesus “Jesse” Aragon was in the area and acting suspicious.
Jesus Aragon was not a resident of his mother’s house, according to the probable cause statement.
When officers arrived on scene, they went to the front door and knocked but received no response. They made contact with Jesus Aragon through an open window on the southeast side of the home, where he was found asleep on a bed, the statement said.
Officers asked him to come out to speak with them and he did so willingly, Turnbow said.
Tooele City police entered the home and found Marcella Aragon deceased on the living room floor with obvious signs of an assault, according to the probable cause statement.
Upon exiting the house, Jesus Aragon threw himself on the ground in front of the home and began screaming and crying, the statement said.
The responding police spoke with Aragon but he resisted arrest and got into a scuffle with officers, Turnbow said. He was safely taken into custody and transported to the Tooele City Police Department for questioning, where he was cooperative with investigators.
During an interview with Tooele City police, Aragon admitted to the murder of his mother, the probable cause statement said.
Tooele City police have not released a cause of death or motive in the case, as of press time Tuesday morning.
Jesus Aragon is scheduled to next appear in 3rd District Court for a roll call hearing on Aug. 23 at 9 a.m.