The Duchesne County 16-year-old initially charged as an adult with 1st Degree Murder in the fatal shooting of his 14-year-old stepbrother has entered a Guilty plea to a lesser charge. The Duchesne County Sheriff’s Office reported that on September 22nd, 2024, deputies were dispatched to a report of a “family fight” that involved the discharge of a firearm. “Upon arriving at the scene, deputies located 1 male juvenile outside the residence, and another male juvenile was located deceased inside the residence from a gunshot wound to his upper body. There were no other family members inside the home at the time of the incident. Detectives with the Duchesne County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and began an investigation into the sequence of events that led to the juvenile’s death.” 16-year-old Haegan Ray Sagers was taken into custody and transported to the Duchesne County Sheriff’s Office for questioning, before being transported to the Split Mountain Youth Detention Center in Vernal. In the hearings since the arrest, the defense claimed the victim initially pointed the gun at Sagers and the boys had “wrestled” over the gun before the victim was shot. The prosecution contested that version of events, saying that Sagers reported that he took the gun from his stepbrother and then pointed it at him. Also, that Sagers had reported that he was angry and wanted to hurt his stepbrother but not kill him. Sagers accepted a plea deal last month and entered a Guilty plea of 2nd Degree Felony Manslaughter. His sentencing is scheduled for July 15th.
