Utah Resident Sentenced to 45 Years for Murder

SALT LAKE CITY – Brandon Redfoot, 28, of Fort Duchesne, Utah, was sentenced Wednesday to 540 months’ imprisonment followed by 60 months of supervised release, after a federal jury convicted him of murder. Redfoot is also ordered by the court to pay $5,955.36 in restitution. 

According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, Redfoot shot and killed another man, on June 7, 2018. In August 2023, he was found guilty on all counts charged in the indictment, including murder in the second degree while within Indian Country, assault with a dangerous weapon while within Indian Country, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and two counts of discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.  

“Mr. Redfoot’s senseless act of violence put many lives at risk and took the life of one young man,” said United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. "We will continue to work with our Tribal and federal law enforcement partners to pursue justice for victims and their families."

Evidence presented at trial showed Redfoot was in a physical altercation with the victim outside a store in Randlett, Utah. After the fight, and after the two men parted ways in separate vehicles, Redfoot told the driver of the vehicle he was in to turn around and drive back in the direction the victim had traveled. After the driver refused, Redfoot pulled out a firearm, later identified as a KelTec Sub-2000 9mm folding rifle and threatened the driver to turn around by firing the gun inside the vehicle. The driver complied, and ultimately arrived outside a residence where Redfoot spotted the victim. Redfoot fired at least twenty-nine shots in the direction of the victim and others, ultimately hitting the victim in the back of the head and killing him. 

“Redfoot acted with no regard for the victim’s life and recklessly endangered other innocent lives that day,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “We are committed to working with our Tribal partners to investigate the most egregious crimes in our Native American communities and help keep them safe.” 

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the FBI Vernal Resident Agency and investigations from the Ute Tribe. 

Assistant United States Attorneys Michael J. Thorpe and Sam Pead of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.