"Ragsdale is being held without bail. The probable cause statement reported
Ragsdale is on the antidepressant medications Doxepin and Paroxetine, and
he may harm Kristy Ragsdale's mother or his children if he is released."

http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/251050/3/

Tuesday, 08 January 2008
Lehi remembers slain mother

Janice Peterson and Cathy Allred - DAILY HERALD
Husband charged with aggravated murder

A Draper man accused of shooting his wife to death outside a church building in
Lehi has been booked in the Utah County Jail on a charge of aggravated murder.
Police say David Ragsdale, 35, opened fire on his estranged wife around 11 a.m.
Sunday morning as she arrived with her mother for church services at The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meetinghouse at 1691 E. 900 North. Kristy
Ragsdale, who turned 30 on Sunday, was shot multiple times with a Glock 9mm
handgun and died at the scene.

The Ragsdales have been separated since early December, and Kristy Ragsdale had
obtained a protective order against her husband.

Sergeant Jeff Swenson of the Lehi Police Department said 10 bullet casing were
recovered at the scene, but it has not yet been determined how many times Kristy
Ragsdale was shot.

According to the probable cause statement, Kristy Ragsdale was shot multiple
times in the torso, and at least once in the head. Several shots were to Kristy
Ragsdale's back, and one witness reported David Ragsdale stood directly over her
body and fired shots at a very close range.

The Ragsdales have two children, Brandon, 4; and Carter, 19 months. At the time
of the shooting, the children were at David Ragsdale's home in Draper.

According to the statement, several witnesses at the scene identified the
shooter as David Ragsdale, and he contacted several others and told them he had
shot his wife. Swenson said Ragsdale turned himself in to Lehi police within an
hour of the shooting, but he was not booked until 11 p.m. because there were
many witnesses who were going to and from the church.

"We had so many witnesses, that we had to get through (questioning) the
witnesses before we got to him," Swenson said.

A search of Ragsdale's vehicle produced a loaded 9mm Glock handgun and several
magazines. Swenson said Ragsdale was booked into the Utah County Jail under a
charge of aggravated murder, but he has not yet been formally charged.

Police said David Ragsdale put numerous individuals other than Kristy Ragsdale
in great danger, which is the reason for the aggravated murder charge. According
to the probable cause statement, one witness was only 20 to 30 feet away with
his two young sons, and Kristy Ragsdale's mother was approximately six feet away
at the time of the shooting.

Vehicles and a home behind the victim could also have been struck by stray
bullets in the attack, placing more people in danger.

County Attorney Jeff Buhman said no formal charges have been brought against
Ragsdale. Although he said the case seems relatively simple, a week or two
before charges are brought would be considered fast.

Aggravated murder is a capital crime, and Ragsdale could end up with 20 years to
life in prison, life without parole or the death penalty if he is charged and
convicted.

Ragsdale is being held without bail. The probable cause statement reported
Ragsdale is on the antidepressant medications Doxepin and Paroxetine, and he may
harm Kristy Ragsdale's mother or his children if he is released.

Members of the Lehi East Stake 34th Ward spent the day Monday tying pink ribbons
on trees and shrubbery in Kristy Ragsdale's memory.

Pink, her favorite color, brightened neighborhoods within the 34th and 36th Ward
boundaries, dotting the bleak frozen landscape.

"She was loved by everybody," neighbor Terri Hunter said. "This gives us
something to do. We feel so helpless. This is something healing, something
positive."

It was difficult to miss Ragsdale's home with the largest pink ribbon taped to
her front door and a bouquet of flowers placed on the doorstep.

The violent shooting and sudden death of Kristy Ragsdale has left those who knew
the family stunned.

"I think it's important for people to remember her and know she was a loyal
friend, extremely generous with her time in behalf of her friends and family,"
said Nikki Barton, her friend and neighbor. "Even though she had struggles in
her own life, she was always focused on other things and was trying to build up
others."

She and Kristy Ragsdale moved into their new homes in the subdivision above
Lowe's in east Lehi within two weeks of each other.

Barton said her friend visited her for the last time on Thursday. Ragsdale had
e-mailed her a poem about motherhood and had run over to Barton's house.

"She came over and said 'you have got to read this,'" Barton said.

Later as Ragsdale held Barton's six-month-old baby and cuddled him, Barton said
she "expressed how much she loves this, how precious they were and that time
passes quickly and they grow up."

Barton's voice broke and she paused.

"She was just trying to raise her little boys," Barton said. "That's what makes
me sadder than anything is she won't be able to be with them. It's so tragic."

Immersed in their ward family, Kristy Ragsdale and her husband had previously
served separate LDS missions. Within the last six months 35-year-old David
Ragsdale had begun decreasing his involvement in church meetings and activities,
according to close friend Erin Mehler.

"If she could speak for herself, she would like people to know she had no idea
he was capable of this," Mehler said. "I really think she never felt there was a
threat to her ... Women need to know not to take anything lightly. I don't think
even his family thought he would do this. It was just a complete shock."

She met Kristy Ragsdale just over two years ago and bonded instantly with her,
she said. Ragsdale is from Bellevue, Wash., and Mehler is a Puyallup, Wash.,
native.

Mehler, too, said Ragsdale was always willing to help others. Recently Mehler
was locked out of her home and her husband, who had the keys, was spending the
night in Sandy.

At 11 p.m., Ragsdale "drove me clear up to Sandy and drove me back down," she
said, adding it is a 25-minute trip one way.

Ragsdale was the choir director for her ward and loved music.

"She had an angelic voice," Barton said. "She was very generous in sharing her
talent."

Kristy Ragsdale will be remembered by friends and family for her voice, her
smile, her service.

"We will miss her anytime there will be a girls night out, a ward event, a choir
singing," said Mehler, and began to cry. "It just feels like it wasn't her time.
She wasn't done yet."

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