Utah man charged with murder in RS

A 18-year-old man from Draper, Utah, is accused of murdering a Utah woman in a knife attack that also injured her friend June 23.

Bradley Ross Fairbourn is being held on a $1 million cash or surety bond at the Sweetwater County Detention Center on charges of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder, which could result in him spending life in prison if convicted.

The charges stem from an incident June 23 at the Quality Inn in Rock Springs. At about 1:23 a.m., officers with the Rock Springs Police Department, along with deputies from the Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office, responded to an emergency call regarding someone being killed at the hotel. An officer spoke with a woman in the hotel's lobby, later identified as Linda Arce, who was bleeding and said her friend was dying after being stabbed by a bearded man in a red shirt.

The body of a woman, later identified as Naisha Story, was found between rooms 119 and 121, with multiple stab wounds inflicted to the torso. Detectives, after securing the area, walked into room 119 and found blood on the walls, furniture and floor and believe a struggle took place in the room. Both Story and Arce were transported to Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County and Story died from her injuries at 3:20 a.m.

Arce said a man in a red shirt knocked on their door and started stabbing both women after opening the door.

The RSPD arrested a man beaten up by Arce's boyfriend, Christopher Crayton, outside of the Wonderful House restaurant matching Arce's description and later identified as Fairbourn.

During a later interview with investigators, Crayton said he was traveling with Story, Arce and Story's boyfriend, Joseph Lovato, stopping in Rock Springs after driving from Salt Lake City. He said their plan was to stay in Rock Springs for a few days, travel to Cheyenne and stay there for a few days and end up in Denver for a few more days. He said the Crayton and Arce rented a room at My Place while Lovato and Story rented a room at the Quality Inn.

After spending the evening drinking, Crayton dropped Story and Arce off at the Quality Inn room while he returned to his room at My Place at about 11:30 p.m. June 22. At about 1:30 a.m., Crayton said he received a call from Arce saying she had been stabbed and was bleeding. Crayton drove to the Quality Inn and found Arce running across Sunset Boulevard, toward his car. She got into the vehicle and Crayton saw a jeep pull into the Quality Inn and a woman leave the vehicle. He yelled for help and told Arce to go to the woman as she would help her and he drove toward room 119, seeing Fairbourn running to the Wonderful House restaurant. Crayton decided to cut him off, parking at the restaurant and Crayton assaulted the man, believing that he was trying to get away.

During a first interview with Fairbourn, he said he had stopped in Rock Springs during a trip from Denver to Utah to get some food and drink. He said he parked at the Quality Inn and walked to the McDonalds across the street to stretch his legs and after finding he didn't have money to buy anything at the restaurant, walked back to his truck. He said a man in a white car pulled up to him and assaulted him.

However, during a second interview at the RSPD, Fairbourn said he was on his way to Draper, Utah and googled Backpage.com to find an escort during his drive. He contacted Story and Arce and negotiated a full-service encounter for $300. When he arrived at the Quality Inn, he said he realized he didn't have the money to pay for the encounter and sought an ATM at McDonalds. After realizing the building was closed, he walked back, where he claimed Crayton assaulted him.

An police interview with Lovato revealed he was aware the Story and Arce were contacting people online through advertisements they placed on Backpage.com. He said he didn't believe they were initiating sexual encounters with people, saying their advertisements were for body rubs. He said Story and Arce would meet customers while he would stay in the hotel room. He also did not specify what Crayton would do during these times.

During police interviews with multiple patrons at the Quality Inn, many reported hearing something that sounded like a woman was being raped, as well as sounds like someone was being thrown against a wall.

Officers also discovered a knife on the roof of Smyth Printing and video footage officers viewed from JFC Engineers and Engineers appeared to show Fairbourn with an unknown object in his hand.