Police looking at possible self-defense in Salt Lake hotel double killing

SALT LAKE CITY — Two men called to help settle a payment dispute with an escort at a downtown Salt Lake hotel were shot and killed early Tuesday, according to police.

By Tuesday afternoon, three people had been arrested in connection with the double homicide. As of Wednesday, the shooter was not in custody. Police say additional arrests are possible, but detectives are still investigating all possible theories as to what happened, including whether the shooting was done in self-defense.

Just after 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, emergency dispatchers received a 911 call from the area near the Comfort Inn Downtown, 171 W. 500 South. The caller hung up without saying anything, but officers responded anyway to see what was happening.

Just as they arrived, another 911 call was received reporting that shots had been fired. Two men were found inside the hotel with gunshot wounds. Despite lifesaving efforts, both men were pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.

Their names have not yet been released.

Kendra Mitchell, 38, told police she was working as an escort and was called by a guest at the hotel. "Upon arrival, (Mitchell) demanded money upfront from the victim, which caused an argument over when payment would be made," according to a police booking affidavit.

Mitchell says she then called her friend, Tiffini Papach, 40, who agreed to go to the hotel with two men whom she referred to as "security" or who provided "protection." It was part of a pre-established plan to address customers who would not pay when asked, according to the affidavit.

Surveillance video from the hotel shows Mitchell and Papach "communicating in the hallway and approaching the guest's door," the affidavit states.

"The two male subjects went to the victim's hotel room door and attempted to get him to open the door, claiming to be security. The victim initially declined but opened the door to provide the male subjects with items that belonged to (Mitchell)," the affidavit says.

The two men then forced their way into the room. One was armed with a handgun, police said.

"The victim stated the males assaulted him, including hitting him in the head with the handgun. Visible injury was observed to the victim, consistent with the provided account of what happened. While assaulting the victim, the males demanded money, to which the victim stated he did not have any money. The males then asked what the male did have and took the victim's car key from the pocket of the clothing he was wearing," officers wrote in the affidavit.

At some point, the two "security" men were shot, according to police.

"At this time, the shooter has not been arrested. That person's name is not being released," Salt Lake police said in a statement Tuesday night.

Papach and Mitchell were arrested Tuesday for investigation of aggravated burglary and aggravated robbery. Papach is also being investigated for obstruction of justice.

Kevin Le Ray Thrower, 56, was also booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of obstruction of justice. During their search for Mitchell, police located Thrower walking with a woman, later identified as Mitchell.

Thrower told police that the woman they were looking for "had run off through an apartment building," according to the affidavit. In reality, the woman was standing next to Thrower and gave a false name to police, the affidavit states.

When questioned, Thrower claimed "the involved female told him nothing about the homicides" and that he knew her by another name.

When police were able to track down Mitchell a second time and take her to the Salt Lake City Police Department for questioning, she "told the detectives that she had told (Thrower) everything that had happened regarding the homicide" before officers found them walking together, the affidavit says. She claimed that Thrower "told her not to tell anyone about what happened that resulted in two people being killed."

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