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OGDEN — A man who already served a prison sentence for intentional child abuse has now been sent back to prison for life without the possibility of parole after admitting to abusing 2-year-old twins, killing a boy and seriously injuring his sister, while he was babysitting.
Johnathan Allen Dunn, 37, pleaded guilty to aggravated murder and two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, first-degree felonies, in addition to aggravated child abuse, a second-degree felony.
In addition to the sentence of life without parole for the aggravated murder for the death of 2-year-old Aleister Samuel Kunzler, 2nd District Judge Noel Hyde also sentenced Dunn to concurrent sentences of 15 years to life in prison for the sexual abuse charges and one to 15 years in prison for child abuse.
The sentence of life in prison without parole, handed down last month, was agreed upon by prosecutors and Dunn ahead of him entering the pleas. Prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty as part of that plea deal.
Dunn reported to officers that the day before the boy's death, he punched both 2-year-olds in the back, sides and chest "harder than he should have" while babysitting them in Roy, according to court documents.
Throughout that night he began to pinch the children, including their genitals, threw them on the bed, shot them with a Nerf gun, pushed their heads into a door frame, and used items to hit them.
Police said he gave both children Tylenol and cough syrup and reported noticing Aleister was not breathing on Dec. 21, 2023. He called police and officers found the boy lying on the front porch and the girl on the couch.
"He admitted that he lost control and his anger got the best of him," a police affidavit states.
The 2-year-old girl was treated for a brain bleed and extensive bleeding.
Police said Dunn was a friend of the twins' parents, and other unrelated children in the home at the time were taken into state custody.
A GoFundMe created by the family called Dunn a "complete monster."
Dunn was convicted of child abuse in another incident in 2017 after breaking a 2-year-old child's arm and causing facial bruises. He was convicted of intentional child abuse and was sentenced to a term of one to 15 years in prison.
Child abuse resources:
- Utah Domestic Violence Coalition operates a confidential statewide, 24-hour domestic abuse hotline at 1-800-897-LINK (5465). Resources are also available online: udvc.org. The statewide child abuse and neglect hotline is 1-855-323-DCFS (3237).
- The Utah Division of Child and Family Services offers counseling, teaches parenting skills and conflict resolution and can connect families with community resources. Its goal is to keep children with their family when it is "possible and safe." Visit dcfs.utah.gov/contact-us/ or call 801-538-4100.
- The Christmas Box House acts as a temporary shelter for children and can provide them with new clothing and shoes, among other services. Call the Salt Lake office at 801-747-2201 or the Ogden office at 801-866-0350.
