Passing of David Yocom Long-Time Salt Lake County District Attorney

Today, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill announced the passing of long-time friend and colleague, former Salt Lake County District Attorney David Yocom.

DA Yocom’s law career spanned from the 1960s until the early 2000s. Voters first elected David Yocom to be the Salt Lake County District Attorney in 1986; after being re-elected in 1990, he lost his re-election in 1994 but came back to serve two additional terms as the DA from 1998-2006. 

Mr. Yocom graduated from the University of Utah Law School in 1965. After working as a private practice attorney for a number of years, David was invited to work as a part-time Deputy District Attorney in the early 1970s. As a young prosecutor, Mr. Yocom successfully prosecuted and convicted Ted Bundy of aggravated kidnapping in 1976, the first time Bundy had been convicted and sentenced to prison. Yocom left the Salt Lake County Attorney’s office in 1977 to work in private practice but was brought back as a special prosecutor in 1978 to handle the successful prosecution of Ervil LeBaron for ordering the murder of polygamist leader Dr. Rulon Allred.

David continued to work in private practice following LeBaron’s prosecution. As part of his work in private practice, he was appointed defense counsel for white supremacist Joseph Paul Franklin for the double homicide of two young African American men who were shot while jogging through Liberty Park. This case could ruin a career, but Yocom, as a sworn member of the legal profession, did his job to uphold the law and do everything he could to guarantee the defendant a fair trial.

As the Salt Lake County District Attorney, David Yocom oversaw hundreds of notorious criminal cases from Mark Hofmann to Mark Hacking. Yocom loved being the District Attorney and lead by example through his passion about the law, victim rights, the rights of the accused and those moving through the legal system.

“It was an honor to work with David as the District Attorney. He not only inspired me as a young prosecutor but served as an example and mentor for me and hundreds of Salt Lake County Deputy District Attorneys over his long tenure in office,” said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill. “David was an advocate for bringing the District Attorney’s office closer to the courts to help the two entities work together more efficiently, a vision that I was honored to help see through to its completion. David spoke his mind, never shied away from tough cases and made a positive difference in this community.”

David is survived by his loving wife, four sons, eight grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. We send our condolences to David’s family and loved ones.