Man convicted in train worker’s death facing new charges

FILE - Dereck James Harrison, left, stands beside his attorney Michael Edwards in a courtroom on Monday, Oct. 24, 2016, in Farmington, Utah. Harrison, who pleaded guilty to tying up five people in a basement was sentenced to serve at least 30 years up to life in prison, but first he'll face murder charges in Wyoming connected to the same crime spree. Harrison is expected to be extradited shortly after his sentencing Monday in Utah. (Briana Scroggins/Utah Standard-Examiner via AP, Pool)

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Federal prosecutors announced new charges Monday in the case of a Utah train worker who was kidnapped and killed by a father and son who were on the run from police after restraining a woman and her daughters in a basement.

Even though defendant DJ Harrison, 23, is already serving life in prison without parole on a Wyoming murder charge, prosecutors felt the kidnapping had to be addressed, U.S. Attorney John Huber said.

“When you commit a crime in Utah, you’re not going to walk away from it. It will be addressed,” he said. “If this brings some added measure of comfort to the victims and to Utah citizens in general that prosecutors in Utah will look out for them, then that’s a good message to be had.”

Harrison will eventually be transported back to Utah to face kidnapping and carjacking charges filed late Friday, he said.

Harrison pleaded guilty in the slaying of 63-year-old Kay Ricks, who was forced into his Utah Transit Authority truck while working in Salt Lake City and beaten to death on the way to a remote Wyoming hideout.

DJ Harrison was convicted last year in Utah for the kidnaping of the woman and her daughters. The women survived, but were beaten while kept in a basement.

Harrison’s father, Flint Harrison, killed himself in jail last year.

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