This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Provo • A Payson man already charged in the slaying of his father, former BYU professor Kay Mortensen, now is accused of stealing a fully automatic Uzi from the dead man's gun collection.
A federal indictment unsealed Monday accuses Roger Kay Mortensen, 48, and William Robert Lemieux, 26, of possessing a Vector Arms Uzi Type 9mm machine gun.
Deputy Utah County Attorney Tim Taylor said Monday the gun belonged to Kay Mortensen and was taken from his home after he was killed Nov. 16, 2009.
Lemieux and Roger Mortensen, both of Payson, were each indicted for illegal possession of a machine gun and possession of an unregistered machine gun from June through July.
In addition, Mortensen was indicted on a federal charge of being a felon in possession of firearms. Utah County sheriff's deputies who searched his home on July 29 allegedly found seven guns in a hidden compartment under a furnace in the garage.
Taylor told news reporters the federal indictment had nothing to do with the homicide case, in which Roger Mortensen and his wife, Pamela, 36, are charged with first-degree felony murder and obstructing justice in connection with Kay Mortensen's slaying.
The couple claims the 70-year-old man was killed by two or three men who tied them up. They also said the robbers stole a number of guns belonging to the victim, who had taught engineering at Brigham Young University.
At Monday's hearing, Judge Darold McDade refused to reduce Pamela Mortensen's $500,000 cash-only bail.
Defense attorney Chad Noakes had argued she was not a flight risk, but Taylor countered she was a risk to community, noting that Kay Mortensen's death was "extremely brutal." He said an autopsy showed his throat had "probably" been sliced at least five times.
Taylor also said the 25 stolen guns are "still out there."
Noakes said his office will file a motion for Pamela Mortensen to be tried separately from Roger Mortensen. Taylor said his office believes they should be tried together. A hearing was set for Sept. 13.
Roger Mortensen's court-appointed attorneys said Monday they were not yet prepared to address the issue of bail or discuss a trial date. A status hearing for him is set for Sept. 13.