A Hyrum man suspected of killing a 17-year-old Ogden girl appeared before a Brigham City judge Tuesday as police continued to investigate.

First District Judge Ben Hadfield ordered the 39-year-old suspect held without bail in the Box Elder County Jail on suspicion of aggravated murder in the death of Jammie Richards, whose body was found last Thursday in a concrete culvert behind a Mormon church in Fielding. Authorities said she died from a single gunshot wound to the head. The suspect was arrested Sunday night.

Box Elder County Attorney Jon Bunderson said Tuesday officials probably will consider charges in the next few days.

Richards was not enrolled in school, Box Elder County Chief Deputy Lynn Yeates said Tuesday, and apparently "floated from home to home," living with her sister and sometimes her friends. Other than that, he said, investigators know little about her.

The suspect and Richards knew each other, however, and court documents say Richards told a woman she was staying with that she felt threatened by him.

When Richards' body was found, she was holding a note with an Ogden phone number, documents said. Police traced the number to a residence where a man wanted for probation violations was supposedly living.

That man, who was not identified in court documents, was arrested Friday by the Ogden SWAT team for probation violations. He told Box Elder authorities he last saw Richards and the suspect on Oct. 7 after meeting them at the Ogden home where Richards was living and then accompanying them to a fast-food restaurant in Farr West. A woman at the home told authorities she also last saw Richards on Oct. 7, when she left with the suspect.

The woman, who also was not identified, described the clothing Richards was wearing, which matched those on the body found three days later.

The suspect had told Richards she could be his daughter, the woman told authorities, and said he had an affair with her mother years ago.

Another man, who was arrested Friday by Logan police on suspicion of drug and weapons violations, told authorities he saw the suspect between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. Friday. He said he heard the suspect tell another male friend to clean the suspect's truck. The suspect then allegedly said he had done the arrested man a favor, an apparent reference to having killed Richards, because Richards was a "narc" and was wearing a wire when she bought drugs from the man earlier.

Yeates said Richards was not working as an informant for his department, and authorities do not believe she was working for any police agency.

The arrested man told police the suspect said he needed to get rid of a gun and was planning to throw it into the Hyrum reservoir, but gave the gun to the man. Police found the gun when the man was arrested.

Attempts Tuesday to contact Richards' relatives were unsuccessful.

aebroughton@sltrib.com

Man Arraigned In Murder of Teenager

Cub Scouts found the body of 17 year-old Jamie Richards last Thursday in Fielding. ABC 4 court reporter Kim Miller was in Brigham City when a judge arraigned a suspect in that murder.

The most interesting new information in the case was not discussed in open court. It was in a probable cause statement. In it a witness says the suspect told the victim that he was her father and that he had an affair with her mother years before.

Mark jensen said nothing, out loud anyway, in court today. His attorney says Jensen told him about the swat team that came to his house Sunday night, telling him he was arrested on suspicion of the murder of 17 year-old Jamie Richards. Today a judge ordered that Jensen stay in jail.

Judge Ben Hadfield said, "It appears to the court that there is probable cause to hold the defendant. The charge indicated is aggravated murder."

Jensen's attorney, Shannon Demler, asked about bail, "Obviously my client would desire that bail be set in this matter, especially since no charges have been filed, and we feel it's appropriate that some amount of bail be set at this time."

The prosecution made it clear they're planning a death penalty case. Box Elder County Attorney John Bunderson said, "I will indicate there is a probability this will be filed as a capital case, due to the defendant's prior convictions. I'm still in the process of getting information about those."

Prosecutors did not charge 39 year-old Mark Jensen today, and the judge would set no bond for him based on the probably cause statement. It says two witnesses told deputies they last saw victim Jamie Richards with Mark Jensen Monday. Deputies say the kind of bullet taken from Richard's skull matches the kind of gun a witness says Jensen gave him Friday. That same witness said Jensen told him that the 17 year-old was a narcotics informer and that he believed she was wearing a wire when she purchased drugs from the witness.

As for the possible father-daughter relationship, investigators say it was mostly likely a lie to try to gain Richard's confidence. A witness who knew about Jensen's claim to fatherhood said Jamie Richards said she felt threatened by Jensen.

Jensen will be back in court October 28th. Prosecutors expect to file formal charges by that time.

NOTE: I would like to personally thank Chris Jones from our local news department at ABC. He was very helpful and caring in this sad time for our family. ABC's coverage has been complete as well as with complete consideration to the family's feelings.