OGDEN (KSL.com) — A Utah County man who police say beat another man and then left him hanging on a piece of gym equipment was charged with murder after the man died.
Tyler Belinti, 23, died on Tuesday, July 12, three days after police say they found him in the gym at an apartment complex at 2433 Adams Ave. in Ogden and took him to a hospital in critical condition with “no signs of brain activity.”
“It is with sadness that we report that the victim in this case succumbed to his injuries … Our hearts go out to his family,” Ogden police said in a statement.
Christian Francis Taele, 28, of Lake Shore, was originally charged in 2nd District Court with attempted aggravated murder. But after Belinti died, the charge was amended to aggravated murder, a first-degree felony.
Taele is accused of walking up to Belinti, and beginning to strangle and kick him “numerous times,” according to the charges. “The victim was dragged into the apartment building and into the gym.”
“The attack was unprovoked and there is no indication that either the suspect or victim have ever spoken prior to the attack,” police said.
Friends on social media remembered Belinti as a “sweet, funny, selfless person.”
One woman said he graduated from Job Corps and worked as a machinist and performed other odd jobs.
“He was an uncle, brother, friend and father figure,” according to the post.
While police questioned Taele, he also claimed to be responsible for a recent killing in Spanish Fork and “provided exact details of the homicide and crime scene that have not been released to the public,” police said in a booking affidavit.
The body of a man was found July 8 in Spanish Fork near a dumpster in the area of 1200 North and 400 East. Police confirmed Ryan Hooley, 49, of Spanish Fork, died as a result of homicide. A cause of death has not been released.
“Christian stated that he killed both the victim in Spanish Fork and in Ogden because he was directed to by a higher power and to ‘purge’ the city,” according to the affidavit, “and has stated that he feels no remorse for the killings.”
Taele is currently facing charges of disarming a police officer, interfering with an arrest and spitting on an officer for allegedly resisting arrest while riding a UTA train in Lehi without a ticket. An officer attempted to use a Taser during the May incident, but Taele “grabbed the Taser and wrenched it” from the officer’s hand, according to charging documents.
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