A Utah man has been convicted of murdering his 72-year-old father after what prosecutors described as a prolonged and disturbing attack inside the family’s West Valley City home.
Jeremy Pulver was found guilty this week of first-degree murder and several other charges in the 2024 death of his father, John Pulver, according to the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office.
The case began on April 26, 2024, when John’s caregiver, Patricia Lopez-Nunez, found him dead inside the home after Jeremy allegedly told her he had killed his father.
According to court documents, Jeremy later told police that John had said the night before that he no longer wanted to live because of his age and condition.
Jeremy claimed his father repeatedly asked him to end his life.
Investigators said Jeremy then tried several different methods over a period of hours.
According to the probable cause document, he allegedly placed a bag over John’s head and also put a rag in his mouth.
Jeremy told police that when he checked on his father the next morning, John was still alive.
He claimed John then asked why he had not gone through with killing him.
Jeremy told investigators he decided he was going to stop thinking about it and simply “do what [John] wants me to do.”
Police said he then tried again to suffocate his father with a plastic bag.
Jeremy claimed John resisted and fought back.
At that point, investigators said Jeremy found an ax and struck his father in the head several times.
He later left the scene and returned to find John dead, according to police.
John was discovered with severe head injuries.
His obituary remembered him as a devoted family man who loved spending time with his children, camping and gardening.
He was also remembered for his love of old movies and cars, as well as his sense of humor.
“His warm personality and infectious laughter endeared him to all who knew him,” the obituary said.
Jeremy was convicted of first-degree murder, three firearm possession charges, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He is scheduled to be sentenced in November.
