Teenager charged with murder of 14-year-old in Duchesne County

DUCHESSN — A 16-year-old boy has been charged as an adult for shooting a 14-year-old boy on Sunday.

Haegan Ray Sagers, 16, will make his first court appearance in Duchesne County on Wednesday afternoon. He is accused of killing his 14-year-old stepbrother.

Duchesne County District Attorney Stephen Foote said the investigation is ongoing, but it is a sad situation where no one wins.

“We're dealing with a 14-year-old child who is dead and a 16-year-old who is accused of murder,” Foote told KSL TV. “And all of this is affecting these families, and they're having to deal with both sides of the situation. It's just a tragedy.”

According to the Duchesne County Sheriff's Office, officers responded Sunday evening to a “report of a family dispute in northwest Duchesne County where a firearm was discharged.”

The office said officers found Sagers outside the home and the 14-year-old inside the home dead from a gunshot wound to the upper torso. Officers reported no other family members were in the home during the shooting.

Foote said the investigation did not find it was a case of self-defense.

“There is evidence that the firearm was not fired accidentally,” Foote said. “The weapon belonged to someone in the family. It was recovered as part of the investigation.”

Foote also said that in the 20-plus years he has been there, there has not been a murder case involving juveniles. He told KSL TV that he has been working in juvenile justice since January and this juvenile has not progressed through the system during his time there.

Sagers is being tried as an adult for murder, as a state law requires it. He will find out in court whether he will be released on bail.

This story has been updated.