Guilty Conviction for 2019 Murder of Steven Nyce

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill announced that a Third District Court jury found Tyler James Vernon guilty of the 2019 murder of Steven Nyce.

 

On February 18, 2019, police responded to the report of a possible murder near 1200 East and 3700 South in Millcreek. When officers arrived, they found the defendant at front door of a residence, holding an iron fireplace tool. The defendant’s hands and clothing were covered in blood. Inside the home, officers found Mr. Nyce in the front room with severe head trauma and no signs of breathing; he was declared deceased on the scene. A witness told police he saw the defendant in front of the residence and heard the defendant yelling, “his head is smashed in.” The defendant made statements to police such as: “Oh my God, I killed him,” “he’s not breathing,” and “he was mocking me, he was making fun of me.”

On Thursday, November 14, 2024, a jury convicted the defendant of first-degree felony murder.

Sentencing for the defendant is set for January 16, 2025.

“I hope this conviction helps to deliver some measure of justice to the family and loved ones of Steven Nyce. This office will relentlessly pursue accountability for those that carry out heinous and brutal attacks like this one,” said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill. “I am proud of the work of our prosecutors, Brad Cooley and Clayton Huckaby, and our staff who dedicated years to ensure this successful guilty verdict. I thank the Unified Police Department for their thorough investigation, which helped to achieve this conviction.