Maximum sentence given to Smithfield man guilty of killing father

Shane Hallstrom sits next to his lawyer Bryan Galloway in 1st District Court on Tuesday. Hallstrom received a sentence of 15 years to life for killing his father.

LOGAN — A 26-year-old Smithfield man, who previously pleaded guilty but mentally ill to killing his father, showed no emotion as he was sentenced to 15-years-to-life in prison, Tuesday morning. Shane Hallstrom never spoke as 1st District Court Judge, Kevin Allen gave him the maximum sentence for the murder of Calvin Hallstrom, last spring.

Judge Allen told the defendant, even though he had pled guilty but mentally ill, it didn’t justify what he did. He expressed sorrow for the victim’s family and told Hallstrom, the pain of knowing what you did will never end.

The sentence was given after Calvin Hallstrom’s mother (Shane’s grandmother) spoke on behalf of the victim’s family. She addressed the defendant directly, talking about the love that Calvin had for the defendant. She also told Hallstrom she loved him, but hated what he did to her baby.

Calvin Hallstrom’s brother (Shane’s uncle) also spoke and told the court he hoped the defendant one day understood what he did and how many people he hurt.

Throughout the testimonies, Hallstrom sat next to his attorney and never looked at his grandmother or uncle.

State attorney Tony Baird asked the court for the maximum sentence. He stated that the defendant had ended the life of someone who had great value, and the court should show that those who take life, are given very severe sentences.

On the afternoon of April 28, police were called to Hallstrom’s Smithfield home near 160 South 380 East. When they arrived, they found Calvin lying at the entrance of the driveway, unconscious and bleeding heavily from the neck. He was transported by ambulance to Cache Valley Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Prosecutors alleged that on the afternoon of Calvin’s death, Shane had intentionally invited his estranged father over to visit with him. He had hidden a knife in his pocket, and as the two walked down the driveway, Shane pulled out the knife and stabbed Calvin in the neck.

Officers later searched the home and found a three-inch long paring knife.

In October, Hallstrom pleaded guilty but mentally ill to murder, a first-degree felony.

During Tuesday’s sentencing, Judge Allen ordered Hallstrom to be sent to the State Hospital for treatment, before being sent to prison later to complete his sentence. He warned that as a community, people can’t pretend that mental illnesses are someone else’s problem. He said, these folks have a real illness and we need to rally around them and get them the help they need.

<hr /><p style=”text-align: center;”>[email protected]

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!