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OGDEN — A Lake Shore, Utah County, man pleaded guilty Tuesday to the second of two unrelated killings he committed over two days — one in Ogden and one in Spanish Fork — on July 8-9, 2022.
Christian Taele — a 30-year-old former Southern Utah University running back — already pleaded guilty to murder, a first-degree felony, in the random killing of Ryan Hooley, of Spanish Fork, on June 26.
Taele admitted to beating Hooley, 49, before stabbing him to death. Hooley's body was found near a dumpster behind a business in the early morning of July 8.
The next day, July 9, police found Tyler Belinti, 23, of Arizona, "partially hanging by the neck from a piece of gym equipment," at an apartment complex at 2433 Adams Ave in Ogden.
A witness reported seeing Taele approach Belinti and begin strangling him "with a rope or strap before kicking the victim numerous times," according to charging documents.
Belinti died three days later at a hospital.
Officers found Taele still at the scene and took him into custody, where he "provided a detailed explanation about his intention to take the victim's life," and admitted to the Spanish Fork killing as well, according to court documents.
"Christian stated that he killed both the victim in Spanish Fork and in Ogden because he was directed to by a higher power and to 'purge' the city," according to court documents, "and has stated that he feels no remorse for the killings."
In Ogden, he was charged with aggravated murder, and the change of plea came as no surprise, being alluded to as part of the plea agreement in Spanish Fork last month.
The agreement says that "as part of a global resolution" with Weber County, the aggravated murder charge will be reduced to murder, a first-degree felony, and it will be recommended that the judge sentence him to to a consecutive prison term to the sentence in the Spanish Fork case.
Charges related to an incident two months before the killings took place were also dismissed as part of the agreement. In that case, police say Taele was arrested riding a northbound FrontRunner train without buying a ticket, resisted arrest and spit into the face of an officer.
Sentencing for the murder of Hooley is scheduled for Aug. 30, and Sept. 20 for the murder of Belinti.
Taele's defense attorney declined to comment, and the Weber County Attorney's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Correction: A previous version incorrectly said Tyler Belinti was found on June 9. It was July 9.
