MILLCREEK, Utah – Fred Jason Edwards, 46, has been charged with murder following the discovery of Esperanza Chavez’s body in Millcreek. Unified Police Department officials reported finding Chavez, 25, deceased near a dumpster at 3994 South 300 West early Saturday morning.
Authorities received a call at 6:20 a.m. about the body. On arrival, they confirmed Chavez’s death at the scene. The investigation quickly unfolded with detectives gathering surveillance footage from nearby businesses. Footage timestamped at 12:28 a.m. showed a black truck, later identified as belonging to Edwards, arriving at the location. A male figure, believed to be Edwards, was seen attempting to dispose of Chavez’s body in the dumpster before leaving her beside it and fleeing the scene.
Further investigation led police to Edwards, who was located at the University of Utah hospital, where he was seeking a psychiatric evaluation. Police took Edwards into custody, and he is set to be booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on murder charges.
Officials highlighted the incident as the tragic end to what they described as a history of domestic violence between Edwards and Chavez.