Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Springville police are investigating the killing of Michael "Mikey" Joshua Mayer, 23, who was shot multiple times outside his apartment complex on Nov. 18, 2023, shortly after arriving home.
- Police suspect Mayer may have been targeted, as the gunman seemingly waited for him.
SPRINGVILLE — Springville police are investigating whether a man who was shot and killed just as he arrived at his apartment complex 11 months ago was targeted and if the gunman was waiting for him.
Michael "Mikey" Joshua Mayer, 23, had just arrived at his Springville apartment, 216 S. 100 West, on Nov. 18, 2023, about 2:45 a.m. when he was confronted by someone and then shot multiple times.
Mayer was on the phone with a friend during the confrontation. The friend told police that after Mayer got out of his car, a man with a deep voice could be heard in the background demanding Mayer give him money, according to police.
"The friend stated he heard a male ask Mayer where the money was, and Mayer answer that it was in the car door. The friend disconnected with Mayer and called 911 at that point," a search warrant affidavit states.
In September, police announced a $5,000 reward for anyone who would step forward with information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Detectives located video that was recorded from a surveillance camera of a nearby building, according to a search warrant served this month. The camera was pointed away from the shooting, so it did not visually record anything of evidentiary value.
"However, the audio recording was enhanced professionally and recovered. In the audio, a vehicle can be heard approaching, then a car door shut. This is believed to be when Mayer arrived at his house. Almost immediately after, three distinct gunshots can be heard," the warrant states.
"Due to the suspect shooting Mayer multiple times first, without any verbal pretext or requests, it is assumed that the suspect's intent was to kill Mayer first, and robbing him was secondary. It also seemed that the suspect knew where Mayer lived, and was waiting for him to get home, since he was shot almost immediately after exiting his vehicle to go into his apartment, only a short distance away. The conversation between Mayer and the suspect was very brief, but it appeared that Mayer knew … what the suspect was looking for. The circumstances do not appear to be random, but premeditated," according to the warrant.
Detectives further wrote in the affidavit that in the recorded audio, Mayer can be heard saying, "They're both in the car" and "In the door." The male voice asks, "Which one?" and Mayer states, "The driver door."
Police say that "due to Mayer and the suspect likely knowing each other and having communicated at some point, it is believed that there should've been communication between Mayer and the suspect," the affidavit states.
No information was found on Mayer's phone. Police now want to do a thorough search of Mayer's social media accounts "to determine who he may have been talking to prior to his murder" while also noting that "all other avenues to identify a possible suspect have been exhausted."
On Tuesday, Springville police confirmed they had gone through some of Mayer's social media accounts already and were still looking for information in other accounts.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Springville police at 801-491-5528 or 801-491-5554.
