Cache County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an apparent murder-suicide that left a 38-year-old woman and her ex-husband dead.
Deputies responded at 11:45 p.m. Thursday to a domestic violence call in Providence where they found the woman — later identified as Heidi Bentley — dead with gunshot wounds, Sheriff Chad Jensen said in a news release.
A witness said he heard shots and vehicle leave the apartment complex. Deputies, with help from Logan police and Utah Highway Patrol, searched the complex.
Investigators identified places where the suspect in the shooting, the victim’s ex-husband, may have fled, according to Jensen. A SWAT team and crisis negotiators used a robot to enter a home and found that the ex-husband — later identified as Matthew Bentley — had shot himself and was dead, he said.
Victim advocates assisted the family, as state crime scene investigators processed both scenes.
“At this time, we would like to express our deep gratitude to the Cache County Sheriff’s Office, Cache County Attorney Victim Services along with all the other agencies that have worked on this tragic event as it unfolded,” Heidi’s family said in a statement. “We are also grateful to the community who mourn with us during this difficult time. Our hearts are broken, and at this time, we ask to please respect our privacy as we grieve.”
A GoFundMe page was set up to support the Bentleys’ three children “as a way to help with expenses” and “any future needs that come up.”
Editor’s note • Those who are experiencing intimate partner violence, or know someone who is, are urged to call the Utah Domestic Violence Link Line, 1-800-897-LINK (5465), or the Utah Rape and Sexual Assault Crisis Line, 1-888-421-1100. To report child abuse and neglect, call the Division of Child and Family Services hotline at 1-855-323-DCFS. For emergencies, call 911.
