The following story was reported by The Utah Investigative Journalism Project in partnership with KUER. In July 2024, renowned hunting guide Wade Lemon pleaded guilty to a federal misdemeanor and an infraction for illegal “canned hunts” in 2020 and 2021. He had cornered mountain lions and tricked his hunting clients into thinking the quarry was...
Author: Eric Peterson (Eric Peterson)
Family left without answers after disabled daughter allegedly assaulted at St. George hospital
The following story was reported by The Utah Investigative Journalism Project in partnership with St. George News. Kristy Woodhouse says raising her developmentally disabled daughter “Elizabeth” has been a wonderful challenge. “She’s so sweet, if you give her money to go buy something at the store, she’s buying something for you instead,” Woodhouse said. Though...
A gay Latter-day Saint was murdered in Salt Lake City in 1991. Why has his case never been solved?
By Eric S. Peterson, Josi Hinds, Katie Bennett, Stevie Shaughnessey, Kenzie Olson, Joey Greenblatt, Cam Elliott, Justin Phipps, Jacob Done, Emma Ratkovic, Ellis Beacom, Elijah Murray, Malcolm Swope, Brooke Hale and Minki Seo. The following story was developed by The Utah Investigative Journalism Project and the University of Utah’s “Cold Case” class investigating unsolved murders...
Who is Valar Atomics?
The following story was reported by The Utah Investigative Journalism Project in partnership with Utah News Dispatch. When police in Moscow, Idaho, rolled up to the scene of the structure fire on Oct. 23, 2021, the home was a fireball. The officers quickly took control of the scene and checked on the victims. One man, Elijah...
Affordable housing plan falls flat in Salt Lake City
The following story was reported by The Utah Investigative Journalism Project in partnership with Utah Stories. Since April 30, 2024, Salt Lake City has offered incentives to developers to provide much needed affordable housing in the city. The Affordable Housing Incentive offers a variety of perks to developers who add affordable units, like allowing them...
Man had prior charges dropped despite police witnesses, then went on to kidnap 3 kids in St. George
The following story was reported by Eric S. Peterson and Sydnee Chapman of The Utah Investigative Journalism Project in partnership with St. George News. The reporting was funded with support from the Alicia Patterson Foundation and the Fund for Investigative Journalism. On Aug. 20, 2024, law enforcement agencies across multiple states were hunting David Gene Remley. Alerts had...
Utah plant linked to Kingston polygamist group cited for dumping chemicals into Bear River tributary
The following story was reported by The Utah Investigative Journalism Project in partnership with The Great Salt Lake Collaborative. In August 2019, an anonymous tipster reported that a company located in Portage, Utah, was illegally dumping chemical waste in ponds, sewers, storm drains and on the ground and had been doing so intentionally for months....
Down the Drain: Records show enforcement of storm drain pollution affecting Great Salt Lake is hit or miss
The following story was reported by The Utah Investigative Journalism Project in partnership with The Great Salt Lake Collaborative. Dead sheep carcasses dumped above the confluence of the Bear River. Ibises at the edge of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge “struggling to rid themselves” of contaminated oil leaked from a nearby property. A business...
Woman says Iron County Sheriff’s deputy sexually assaulted her and prosecutors sided with him
Editor’s note: This report contains frank language details of a sexual nature. reader discretion is advised. The following story was written by Eric S. Peterson, Sydnee Chapman and Tracie Sullivan. The story was reported by The Utah Investigative Journalism Project in partnership with St George News. “Jane” found herself in an impossible situation last fall....
The 2025 Utah Reporters Almanac now available!
We are excited to announce the newest edition of The Utah Reporters Almanac is here! Every year we produce our Almanac as a resource to journalists and curious and engaged citizens and fill it with information on understanding and accessing open government. In this edition we recapped the 2025 legislative session’s brutal impact on state...









