Judge to decide whether two will stand trial in Provo murder

After a three day preliminary hearing, 4th District Court Judge Steve Hansen did not immediately decide whether two men accused in the May shooting of a Provo man will stand trial on the charges.

Hansen on Friday took under advisement the question of whether to bind over Darrell Wayne Morris, 38, and Danny LeRoy Logue, 45, in connection to the May 17 death of 32-year-old Andy Purcell.

The two were charged in June with first-degree felony aggravated murder after a confidential informant told police that Yuri Sanchez Lara, 32, had hired Morris to hurt Purcell.

According to charges, Lara contacted Morris to kill Purcell in exchange for an ounce of methamphetamine. Morris was given a half-ounce before the shooting and the rest after Lara learned Purcell was in the hospital, charges state. Logue allegedly was with Morris at the time of the shooting.

Earlier this week, William Thompson testified that Lara had wanted to hurt Purcell because he thought Purcell had told police about a cache of methamphetamine kept in Lara's storage unit.

But Orem Police Officer Scott Spieth testified Wednesday that Purcell was not the person who informed on Lara, rather it was a woman who was caught with methamphetamine.

Purcell died May 17, a day after he was found on his mother's porch with a gunshot wound in his forehead.

Lara is also charged with first-degree felony aggravated murder. The preliminary hearing was only for Morris and Logue, with Lara expected to enter a plea in October.jmiller@sltrib.com

Twitter: @jm_miller