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During a routine traffic stop in Herriman, Utah, police made a shocking discovery when they found the body of Summer Tatiana Roney, 30, in the backseat of her boyfriend's car. The incident occurred around midnight on Tuesday (December 31) at a 7-Eleven as part of a DUI investigation. The boyfriend, Jacob Holt Johnson, 40, was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder.
According to a probable cause statement, Roney's body showed "significant injuries and trauma consistent with a homicide." Johnson admitted to police that he and Roney were in an intimate relationship and had argued. He also acknowledged that their relationship was "over" and that he had placed Roney in the vehicle. However, he did not explain how she sustained her injuries.
Johnson, a father of two, has a criminal history, including previous guilty pleas for DUI, felony drug possession, and aggravated robbery. He is currently held without bail at the Salt Lake County Metro Jail.
Roney's family described her as a "vibrant, kind, and loving soul" who brought joy to everyone she met. Her mother, Michelle Kellie Tischner, expressed her grief on Facebook, vowing to "fight for you even when you're on the other side." Friends and family continue to mourn her loss, remembering her infectious personality and the positive impact she had on their lives.