UPDATE: Name of victim released – Man shot and killed in Apple Valley

The name of the victim in the deadly shooting in Apple Valley has been identified at 50 year old Todd Clayton Stratton, a resident of Rockville Utah.

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UPDATE:

On October 8th 2019 at 13:38 hours, deputies with the Washington County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a report of suspicious circumstances in the Town of Apple Valley. The caller refused to provide dispatch with any initial information, stating they would speak with the deputy once they arrived. Despite attempts from the emergency dispatcher, the caller failed to provide details other than a general location in a rural area.

Deputies attempted to locate the area based on the limited description provided. After several failed attempts, a deputy was able to convince the caller to provide a first name only. At 14:55 hours the caller stated they needed help from the County Sheriff. In response to what help was needed, she would only respond "We are harmless and need help from the County Sheriff." Prior to disconnecting with the deputy, she instructed him to follow a dirt road, through a gate, past the trees, where deputies would find them. Due to the callers unwillingness to provide the nature of the services needed and the suspicious requests for a deputy to respond to what was described as an isolated area, the Sheriff's Office Administration elected to delay the response of deputies until additional information could be gathered.

At 1506 hours the caller explained they needed deputies to respond on a death investigation. The initial information provided to deputies was the victim had possibly been deceased for several hours.

Deputies and Investigators responded to a residence located on the Plataclay Mine, on Coyote Road in Apple Valley. Upon arriving on scene, investigators found the body of a 50 year old male who appeared to have died as a result of injuries consistent with gun shot wounds.

Detectives interviewed the male resident, 51 yo Jason Howard Clinger, who admitted to shooting the victim following an altercation between himself and the victim. Clinger was arrested for one count of First Degree Murder and is currently being held on $100,000 bond at Purgatory Correctional Facility.

This investigation is still ongoing and additional details including the identity of the victim will be available during an upcoming press release. A press conference addressing the investigation will be held at the Washington County Sheriff's Office, tomorrow, October 9th, 2019 at 1200 hours.

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Deputies in Southern Utah are responding to a reported shooting in Washington County Tuesday evening.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office said the shooting happened in the Apple Valley area.