12/21/11: Intermountain West RCFL Aids Homicide Investigation of Four-Year Old Ethan Stacy

A five-day preliminary hearing was set for March 19-23, 2012 for Nathaniel Sloop, who is accused of murdering Ethan Stacy, 4. Ethan's mother, Stephanie Sloop's preliminary hearing was cancelled with no rescheduling date at this writing. The couple waived their rights to a speedy trial and are charged with capital murder, child abuse and obstructing justice. If convicted, they could receive the death penalty. The Intermountain West RCFL (IWRCFL) is providing digital forensics expertise to investigators.

During the preliminary hearing, prosecutors will present their evidence to a judge who will determine if the case should move forward or not.

Ethan's remains were found by investigators just one day after the Sloops reported him missing on May 11, 2010 — his death was classified as "severe abuse." The Sloops were married on May 1, 2010 with Mr. Sloop admitting in a probable cause affidavit that he locked Ethan in his bedroom while they attended to their nuptials. According to press reports, on May 9, 2010, the Sloops found Ethan in his bed, and fearing they would be held responsible for his death, allegedly concocted a plan to bury his body in Ogden Canyon, where authorities later discovered the child in a shallow grave.

Nathanael Sloop is also charged with second-degree felony inflicting serious physical injury on a child intentionally, second-degree felony obstructing justice, third-degree felony desecration of a dead human body and third-degree felony damage to jails.

Stephanie Sloop is charged with second-degree felony inflicting serious physical injury on a child intentionally, second-degree felony obstructing justice and third-degree felony desecration of a dead human body.

The Sloops are being held in the Davis County Jail, which is managed by the Davis County Sheriff's Office, a participating agency in the IWRCFL.

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