The Department of Justice announced on Tuesday that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a Ft. Duchesne man with second degree murder after he allegedly beat his elderly mother to death after she would not let him use her car. According to court documents, 52-year-old Philip Bernard Weston, also known as Philip Bernard Mahpiya-Wicasta, allegedly beat his mother so severely with his bare hands inside her house on July 13th that she later died from his assault. “Prior to her death, law enforcement responded to the victim’s house after dispatch received an emergency alert. The victim, who is hearing impaired, often used social media to communicate with others, and had made multiple contacts to an out-of-state relative on her tablet via social media asking for help. When an officer arrived at the victim’s home, Weston answered the door and allegedly stated the victim was there and fine. However, the officer could see the victim on the ground with a large amount of blood around her. Weston was immediately taken into custody. Upon entering the residence, law enforcement allegedly observed blood in several areas of the home and a tablet in front of the victim. The victim was taken to the hospital in Roosevelt, and was able to give statements, using ASL, to an interpreter about the incident. The victim was transported to a trauma center in Salt Lake City for further medical treatment, but succumbed to her injuries, which included: multiple broken ribs; a severe chest injury; broken clavicles; multiple head injuries, including a four inch laceration on her forehead, eye damage, and a scalp hematoma; hemothorax; collapsed lung; fracture of the sternum; vertebrae; and other injuries.” Philip Bernard Weston is charged with 2nd Degree Murder while within Indian Country. Weston’s initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for today, August 20th, at 2:00 p.m. at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
The case remains under investigation by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Vernal Resident Agency.
