Police have ruled out two persons of interest as suspects in a Salt Lake City homicide.
Police had been searching for Kristie Marie Hansen and Javier Rodriguez Pena as investigators work to uncover why 25-year-old Mechelle Lindberg was found dead at the Gateway Inn, 819 W. North Temple, on Tuesday morning.
Hansen was brought in on outstanding warrants Friday and has talked to police, Salt Lake City police Detective Greg Wilking said. It has been determined that Hansen and Pena were together when they witnessed the killing but were not otherwise involved, Wilking said.
The sole suspect is being housed in the Salt Lake County jail. He was booked earlier in the week on unrelated charges. He has not been charged with any involvement in the homicide yet. Police have not released his name.
“He’s not going anywhere,” Wilking said. “We will dot our Is and cross our T’s so we have everything in place.”
Wilking said often police have to rush to charge someone, but since the suspect is already in custody and has a parole and probation hold, investigators have the luxury of taking their time in preparing charging documents related to the homicide.
Wilking said investigators would still like to talk with Pena to see if he could provide any new information.