Morgan, UT: Couple found dead in Morgan had hoped to 'move on' from domestic violence

MORGAN — Morgan County sheriff's officials have confirmed that they are investigating the deaths of a couple in Morgan County as a murder-suicide.

Police found the bodies of Grant and Marilee Wadman in the living room of the home they shared at 389 W. Hardscrabble Road on Thursday. Family members had gone to the home to check on the couple after struggling to make contact for a few days and notified police after spotting bullet holes in the home's windows, Morgan County Sheriff's Sgt. Jason Lee said.


The couple apparently had a history of domestic violence, as Lee said they were called to the home for incidents of that nature a number of times.

Court records indicate that Marilee Wadman, 41, was given a successful termination of her probation in connection with charges of attempted assault, a class A misdemeanor, intoxication and disorderly conduct, both class C misdemeanors, on Oct. 26. The charges were dismissed after Wadman completed the terms of her probation.

The charges stem from an assault at the couple's home on Aug. 31, 2010, when prosecutors said the couple "got intoxicated" and Grant Wadman awoke to "Marilee punching him in the face." Marilee Wadman also allegedly bit her husband's arm and left marks on his stomach and neck.

"Marilee was the primary aggressor," the charges state. The police officer noted that the woman spit on his truck when she was taken into custody.

In an affidavit filed by Grant Wadman in March, the man wrote that he did not want to testify against his wife in the case because it would "cause me enormous anxiety, and would ultimately tear my family apart and do more harm than good."

The man stated that the decision was his own and was made in an effort to help his family "move on."

"This entire experience has been an eye-opener for me and my wife," Grant Wadman wrote. "We seek to put this behind us and move on with our lives learning from the mistakes that we have made from this incident and hoping to get some closure."

A search of court records show that Grant Wadman, 57, also has a criminal history, though it doesn't appear to be domestic in nature. Charges of criminal mischief and aiding or assisting in violation of wildlife codes were reduced to misdemeanors and ultimately dismissed.

Police have not indicated which of the two may have fired the fatal shots.

Lee said Friday there were no significant developments in the case.