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Sheriff characterizes Oakley case as murder-suicide

Nan Chalat Noaker, The Park Record
Sean Kenealey. Photo courtesy of The Summit County Sheriff's Department
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The Summit County Sheriff’s Department is continuing its investigation of an apparent murder-suicide in Oakley over the weekend. The bodies of Sean Kenealey, age 45, and Toni Cavagnaro, age 40, were discovered in the garage of a home located on State Road 32 near River Road. According to investigators, each died of a single gunshot wound to the head. The weapon, a .45 caliber handgun, belonged to Kenealey.

"I am confident that what we are dealing with here is a murder-suicide," said Summit County Sheriff Dave Edmunds. "It looks like a domestic incident." The two individuals had, at one time, lived together in the newly built home where the shooting took place.

The bodies were discovered at about 1:15 p.m. Sunday afternoon by a close friend of the victims. According to the sheriff, the friend had become concerned because he had not heard from Cavagnaro or Kenealey for some time and stopped by the house. He discovered the bodies in the garage and immediately called 911. Investigators determined that the victims may have been shot the night before.

Sheriff’s deputies cordoned off the site while waiting for a search warrant. "It was a very tragic scene," said Edmunds. Investigators are waiting for results from the coroner’s office to help determine a motive in the case.



Cavagnaro’s family, including her mother and two sisters, Marci and Lori, arrived in Park City early in the week.

See related story: Butterfield: ‘She was like a little sister to me’

A memorial service for Cavagnaro will be held Thursday, April 18, at 4 p.m. at Butcher’s Chophouse, 751 Main Street. The family has requested that in lieu of flowers donations be made to Friends of Animals Utah or the Peace House in Park City.



 

 


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