Bountiful man sentenced for obstructing murder investigation

A Bountiful man who lied to police about coming in contact with a murder weapon has been sentenced to probation.

Joshua Ian Stansbury, 37, "had nothing to do" with the murder of Andy Wendy Purcell last year in Provo, prosecutors say. But Stansbury, who had the gun for a short time in the weeks after the slaying, lied to police about the weapon.

"He bought it from someone without knowing about the murder, and he got rid of it long before police got to him," said Utah County prosecutor Sam Pead on Monday. "He just lied about ever touching the gun."

In December, Stansbury pleaded guilty in 4th District Court to a third-degree felony count of obstructing justice. A judge on Monday suspended a prison term for Stansbury, gave him credit for the 80 days he had served in jail during the criminal proceedings, and ordered him to complete 36 months' probation.

Prosecutors have charged four other people in connection with the May 2010 death of 32-year-old Purcell. Yuri Sanchez Lara, 32; Darrell Wayne Morris, 38; and Danny LeRoy Logue, 45, all face charges of murder. According to court documents, Lara suspected Purcell had told police about methamphetamine Lara had in a storage unit.

Morris allegedly shot Purcell in the head in exchange for an ounce of methamphetamine provided by Lara.

Logue was with Morris during the shooting, police said.

Purcell was found dead on his mother's front porch.

Robin Jackson, 36, of Beaver, also faces a felony charge of obstructing justice. Prosecutors allege Jackson knew what happened to the murder weapon.

afalk@sltrib.com