Utah woman arrested at motel with dead man's body, video of overdose death
07/16/2020 12:15 pm PDT
By Mark Klekas, KUTV
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) -- A 21-year-old woman was arrested after investigators believe she failed to report a man dying from an overdose and for continuing to hang out with the body for hours after his death.
Provo Police officers found the deceased man and the suspect, Francesca Delfina Farias-Swenson, at America's Best Value Inn & Suites on Monday in Provo. Other motel guests called 911 claiming the woman was seen with a different man "pushing the deceased's body into the parking lot on a wheeled office chair," arresting documents said.
First-responders showed up the motel room where Farias-Swenson and the victim were staying to realize the man had been dead for some time. Investigators believe he died from a drug overdose.
Investigators also believe she removed evidence of the overdose from the scene and tried to flush the contraband in the motel's toilet.
Provo Police said they found photos and videos taken by Farias-Swenson showing the man overdosing, and of his dead body. The timestamps on the photos and videos range that morning from 6:46 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The Deseret News reports Francesca Delfina Farias-Swenson was charged Monday with abuse or desecration of a dead body; obstructing justice; and failing to report finding a dead body.
The Utah County Sheriff's Office arrested Farias-Swenson in April 2019 for kicking the windows of her boyfriend's car while being drunk on mouthwash. She asked to "smoke a bowl" before going to jail.
MORE: