Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
HIDEOUT, Wasatch County – The family of the man who was shot and killed at Jordanelle State Park on Sept. 25 is pleading for help in finding his killer.
It's been over two weeks since the body of Patrick Hayes, 61, was found on the side of the road near the entrance to the Ross Creek Day Use Area on the east side of the reservoir, and not a moment goes by his family isn't thinking of him.
"I'm devastated. I'm numb. I can't think straight," said Sueann Kern, Hayes' fiancée.
Kern described Hayes as a man with a big heart and a big personality, someone who would do anything for his family and friends. She said he grew up in California and moved to Utah to join the swim team at the University of Utah. She said she spent the last 12 years of her life with Hayes, and when she thinks about the thing she'll miss most about him, it's his laugh.
"This has put a huge hole in our family and our community. Patrick was loved by so many people; so many people have had so many wonderful things to say about him," Kern said.
Surrounded by the Hayes family, including his only son, Christian Hayes, Wasatch County Sheriff Jared Rigby met with members of the media Thursday near the location of the death to reveal new details into the criminal investigation.
"As law enforcement, we are still looking for the vehicle of the suspect and those that are involved in this homicide, and we need the public's help in order to do that, and nobody wants that more than Pat and his family," Rigby said. "We are doing everything we can to bring the killer or killers of Patrick Hayes to justice."
In the hope of generating new leads, Rigby provided a new timeline of Hayes' movements the night of the murder. He said Hayes left his son's home in Midvale around 10:30 p.m.
"We just kind of did our normal dinner; we picked a new Italian place near my house we hadn't been to before," Christian Hayes said. "We just watched music videos and joked, and my best friend who was like my dad's second son was there too, and we just spent the night together the three of us, and you know, I hugged him and told him I loved him, and that was that."
"You've never seen anyone love a son like he loved Christian," added Kern.
Rigby said Hayes traveled through the Fort Union area to I-215, got onto I-80, then made his way toward Park City. He said at 10:58 p.m. as Hayes' vehicle was traveling under the Kimball Junction overpass, his cellphone data showed his vehicle slow to where it took him 1:33 seconds to move about 400 yards through that area. For context, he says he traveled the same distance before the overpass within 12 seconds. What happened during that time under the overpass is unknown.
"What we have is some damage to Pat's Volkswagen, it appears to be rub marks from a tire," Rigby said. "If there is anyone who has dashcam or vehicle cam recordings, can you please contact us? Our nonemergency dispatch number is 435-654-1411. "
Rigby said Hayes' cellphone data shows he eventually continued on I-80 to U.S. 40, then he exited onto state Route 248. Shortly before 11:15 p.m. Hayes turned onto Shoreline Drive and headed toward the entrance to the Ross Creek day use gate at Jordanelle State Park, also an entrance to his home in Hideout. However, just before the gate, he stopped his vehicle and got out.
Rigby said a security camera from the park, partially obscured by the headlights, captured what appears to be a Jeep Gladiator pull behind him, and then as Hayes gets out of the vehicle, it appears to try to aggressively drive toward him.
"Some words are exchanged between Pat and someone in the vehicle, and then a single gunshot rings out," Rigby said.
According to Rigby, that single gunshot took the life of Hayes, who fell to the ground next to the road. It wasn't until 12 hours later that his body was spotted by a visitor to the reservoir.
"I think, obviously, we're all incredibly hurt, and we're incredibly angry; there is a coward out there that committed an unforgivable act, and they're running and hiding," Christian Hayes said. "And so, I think that's honestly our biggest ask for everybody is please, if you know anything, if you know this person, if you saw anything, just please come forward."
On Thursday morning, KSL-TV's request for images of the vehicles was denied by the Wasatch County Sheriff's Office because it's still an open investigation. The sheriff later addressed the denial, saying the images are too dark to provide any definitive information about the suspect's vehicle, like color or license plate, and that releasing the images to the public may jeopardize prosecuting the suspect once they are located.
Rigby did say, however, that those looking for the Jeep Gladiator suspected in the crime should keep in mind that the initial damage they first suspected on the front end may have been repaired by now.
"We're renewing our call two weeks after this horrific killing and death to ask for the public's help in identifying those responsible for Pat's death, specifically for this Jeep Gladiator we're looking for," Rigby said.
As the Hayes family visited a memorial that now covers the area where Hayes was killed Thursday, they reflected on the man whom they loved, and they hope others will too.
"My dad was always making people laugh; he was always larger than life, almost 6-foot-6, so he was larger than all of us, but he also had a big personality and loved hard," Christian Hayes said. "He loved everyone, swimming, water polo — he touched the community forever."
