WELLINGTON, Utah (KUTV) — A man was arrested facing an attempted murder charge after he allegedly stabbed another man 17 times for making comments about his daughter several days prior.
Thad James Gurule, 32, was arrested after a man covered in blood was located on a front porch in Wellington on Monday, according to arrest documents. Police said the man had multiple life-threatening wounds.
The victim — who was determined to have been stabbed 17 times — was transported to a hospital where he informed officers that he did not know the name of the perpetrator. The victim said he had met the suspect and his family at a post office a few days before.
Through the investigation, Gurule was identified as a suspect and taken into custody.
Police said Gurule admitted to assaulting the victim because he had made comments at the post office about his daughter, who is a minor. Gurule said he had looked up the man online after the encounter and found he was a sex offender, according to documents.
Officers reported Gurule saying he had walked over to the victim’s apartment and invited him to go on a walk and get food.
According to officers, Gurule initially denied stabbing the victim but later admitted to the assault, saying he threw the knife away near the scene.
“He confessed, stating that he intended to kill [the victim] to protect his daughter,” police wrote in the probable cause statement.
The victim allegedly told police that the suspect stabbed him repeatedly and then leaned over him, saying he should think again before making comments about his daughter. The victim said he then left him on the ground.
Police said Gurule is facing an attempted murder charge because the evidence points to it being a premeditated attack with the intent to kill the victim. He is also facing drug charges after officers reported finding methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia using a search warrant.
Gurule was booked in the Carbon County Jail on Wednesday.