By Nate Bertasso
nathanb@newsroom.byu.edu
Sandy Police made an arrest in connection with the homicide of a Sandy man.
At 2:15 a.m. July 10 Sandy police arrested David W. Stoedter, 35, of Sandy in connection with the homicide of Tibor Brown, 31.
Brown had been missing since July 5, family members told Sandy Police.
A family member found Brown's truck up Little Cottonwood Canyon on July 9, Finley said. The search and rescue team started their search at 2 p.m. and called the search off at dark, without finding Brown.
On July 9 Sandy police were led to Brown's home, 2083 East New Castle, where they found a blue tarp beneath the sand in the backyard sandbox.
Sgt. Kevin Thacker, public information officer for the Sandy Police Department, said after investigators began to uncover the tarp they found a denim material and what they believed to be a body.
Thacker said investigators called the medical examiner to the scene at 6:30 p.m.
Sgt. Michelle Finley, assistant public information officer for the Sandy Police Department, said the cause of death is not yet known but will be released with the expected coroner's report on July 12.
Thacker said the exhuming process involves carefully assessing the evidence and documenting the process taking pictures with each step.
Just before 11 p.m. on July 9 a gurney was rolled out of the back yard through the garage and taken in a covered truck to the medical examiner's office.
Investigators remained at the scene throughout the night to collect more information and protect the crime scene.
On Monday afternoon, the medical examiner's office positively identified the exhumed body as Brown, Finley said.
Wendy Gibson, who lives behind Brown's home, said Brown was a nice quiet man that kept to himself. Known to neighbors as 'T,' Brown had lived in the house for about a year.
Gibson also knew Stoedter and said he was at Brown's home almost everyday.
Gibson said Stoedter was rude and unfriendly. She said Stoedter and Brown were loudly arguing in the kitchen Wednesday or Thursday of last week.
Gibson said she thought nothing of it and closed her window so she couldn't hear the arguing.
Brown's dog, a black Labrador, was also reported missing Thacker said.
Gibson said she doesn't remember seeing the dog anytime after July 6.
Robbie Evans, 40, of Sandy, lives down the street from Brown. Evans said he remembers seeing police 'staked-out' outside of Brown's home since July 7.
Finley said police found nothing suspicious regarding the situation on July 7. It wasn't until Brown's truck was found when authorities were involved, Finley said.
'We moved here less than a month ago. I can't believe a body was buried on the other side of my fence,' said Sandy resident Kristen Farmer.
Farmer and her husband Cameron live on the other side of Brown's fence and are shocked this would happen in Sandy, after moving into the neighborhood only three weeks ago.
Gibson said that although she is saddened and shocked, she still feels safe in the neighborhood.
Finley said the two were partners in an employment placement business where they acted as 'head hunters' for other companies. She said the motive appears to be business related.
Finley said Stoedter has not been charged yet and has made no statement to the police.
Finley said more information concerning the case would be released after charges have been made.