The man accused of fatally shooting an exchange student at the University of Utah in October is now facing new charges for allegedly attacking a fellow jail inmate with sharpened nail clippers.
Austin Jeffrey Boutain, 23, is charged with aggravated murder and a dozen other felonies for allegedly shooting and killing ChenWei Guo on Oct. 30.
Boutain and his wife, Katheleen Boutain, 23, had planned to kidnap someone with a car, hold that person hostage while driving the Boutains to Tennessee, and then kill the victim, according to 3rd District Court documents.
On Thursday, prosecutors filed additional charges of aggravated assault by a prisoner and possession of items prohibited in a jail, both second-degree felonies, against Austin Boutain.
Boutain allegedly attacked a fellow inmate on Jan. 14, after he was removed from his cell and placed at a kiosk area. Boutain ran from the kiosk and began attacking a man who was at the telephone area of the jail, court documents state.
Officers intervened in the fight, and found that Boutain had used a “shank” made from nail clippers in the assault. Charging records do not indicate if the other inmate was seriously injured, or what the motive for the attack was.
The Boutains are expected to be in court again Monday for a scheduling conference in connection with charges filed in 23-year-old Guo’s death.
Kathleen Boutain is not facing murder charges, but is accused of criminal solicitation and theft by receiving stolen property.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Kathleen Boutain, charged with three counts of first-degree felony criminal solicitation and three counts of second-degree theft, makes a court appearance in Salt Lake City Tuesday November 21, 2017.
