A man that called dispatch claiming that his wife had been murdered and her body was in a ditch was eventually arrested for making the false report. According to the Affidavit of Probable Cause, law enforcement and medical personnel responded to the Tridell area after the call on June 6th at 3:30am in which the man not only claimed his wife had been murdered but he provided the name of the alleged assailant and he claimed to have witnessed the stabbing. Officers eventually located the caller, 45-year-old Antonio Martinez Tinsley, near the Lapoint Park. Tinsley insisted that his wife was in a nearby ditch and that he could hear her calling for help. Officers searched the area thoroughly, including the ditch and nearby canal but found no evidence of an assault or disturbance. Tinsley directed officers to a nearby residence where he claimed the suspect lived. Officers awoke the residents inside who stated that they knew Tinsley as he had previously lived down the street but had not seen him in months. Additional resources, including law enforcement drones, were utilized but no evidence was located to support Tinsley’s claims and after several hours the search was suspended. Officers were eventually able to make contact with Tinsley’s wife via phone and she confirmed that she was safe and had not been with Tinsley for several weeks as they were separated. She suggested that his report was likely due to him being under the influence of drugs. Tinsley admitted to having used Methamphetamines and also claimed that he had fallen and injured his head earlier that day. He was detained on a probation hold and transported to the Uintah County Jail for booking. The Affidavit of Probable Cause states that significant law enforcement response and resources were employed, placing law enforcement officers and the public at risk for an emergency that was fictitious. Antonio Tinsley has been charged with 2nd Degree Felony Emergency Reporting Abuse that claimed Imminent Serious Injury or Death. Tinsley is being held without bail.
