Homicide Defense Attorney in Utah
Serious charges. Real preparation. A defense built for trial.
A homicide case is the most serious thing a person can face, and it has to be prepared differently from day one. Richards & Richards builds these for trial: forensics, experts, timelines, and a defense theory that holds up in front of a jury.
Callback within 24 business hours. $100 for a one-hour consultation, credited to your retainer if we take your case.
Request a Consultation
We'll call you back within 24 business hours. $100 for a one-hour consult — credited to your retainer if we take your case.
Carl knows how the state builds a case
DUI instructor of instructors
States licensed: Utah · Colorado · Nebraska
Carl Anderson spent years on the other side. That's the advantage.
Before Carl joined Richards & Richards, he was a prosecutor with the Dawson County, Nebraska Attorney's Office. He handled thousands of criminal cases on behalf of the state, including jury trials.
That record means he has firsthand knowledge of how the state builds a case against you: which witnesses they lean on, which evidence they treat as ironclad, which corners they cut when they're overloaded. When he reviews a DUI stop or a drug-possession report, he's looking at it with the same training as the prosecutor you're up against.
DUI is his specialty. Carl is certified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as a standardized field sobriety test administrator, instructor, and instructor of instructors. He knows exactly how the officer who arrested you was trained — and how officers deviate from that training. If the arrest was bad, we find out at the suppression hearing, not at trial.
Carl is licensed in Utah, Colorado, and Nebraska. He's a father of five. He speaks Spanish.
He took the time to explain everything to me face-to-face. Whenever I contacted him he would return my call or email within a few hours.
— Andrew, Weber County · DUI Defense
Types of Homicide Cases We Handle
Utah separates these offenses largely by state of mind. That distinction is where most of the real work happens.
Not sure which one fits your case? Tell us what happened and we will tell you where you stand.
Talk to Us →Serving Ogden and Communities Across Utah
Our office is in Ogden and we defend homicide cases in district courts across nine Utah counties. If someone is in custody, call before anything else.
Weber County
North Ogden, Ogden, Riverdale, Roy, South Ogden
Davis County
Bountiful, Centerville, Clearfield, Farmington, Kaysville, Layton, Syracuse
Salt Lake County
Draper, Herriman, Murray, Riverton, Salt Lake City, Sandy, South Jordan, Taylorsville, West Jordan, West Valley City
Utah County
American Fork, Eagle Mountain, Lehi, Orem, Pleasant Grove, Provo, Saratoga Springs, Spanish Fork, Springville
Cache County
Hyrum, Logan, Mendon, Nibley, Providence, Smithfield
Box Elder County
Brigham City, Garland, Mantua, Tremonton, Willard
Tooele County
Grantsville, Stansbury Park, Tooele
Sanpete County
Ephraim, Manti, Mount Pleasant
Rich County
Garden City, Randolph
Not seeing your city? We defend these cases across Utah. Call and we will confirm whether we can help with yours.
Call 801-528-9357Why Choose Richards & Richards for Your Defense
Most complaints about lawyers are not about who won. They are about communication — the lawyer goes quiet, and you learn what happened to your case after it has already happened. We built this firm around the opposite.
You Get a Real Defense Plan
After your consultation you get a written summary of where the case stands: what the State has to prove, what its forensic and witness evidence actually shows, what has to be preserved immediately, and what we intend to do about each.
One Attorney, One Point of Contact
The attorney on your case handles your case. You are not shuffled between five lawyers or handed to a paralegal who cannot make decisions. When you call, you reach the person who knows your file.
A Former Prosecutor on Your Side
Carl Anderson prosecuted criminal cases for the state before joining the firm. He knows how the other side builds a file, what they rely on, and which parts of it will not hold up when someone actually tests them.
We Are Transparent About Costs
You get our rate and retainer requirement upfront, plus an honest estimate of what the work costs through resolution. We also tell you plainly what we cannot promise, because no lawyer can promise you an outcome.
Clear Communication, Always
We answer calls and emails within 24 business hours. When something significant happens on your case, you hear it from a person, not a form letter. We explain what it means and what happens next.
A Family Firm Since 1988
Two generations of Ogden-raised attorneys. We are invested in this community, and we built this firm on the principle that you are not just a case number.
Ready to talk it through? A one-hour consultation is $100, credited to your retainer if we take your case.
Request a Consultation →What Our Clients Say
Five-star reviews from our public Google Business Profile, from people who came to Richards & Richards in the middle of an investigation, an arrest, or a charge.
I needed help keeping a stalking injunction in place. Kevin did an excellent job putting my case together and making me feel comfortable about the situation. When it came time for the hearing, we had no problem keeping the injunction in place.Ben F.
Helped me get a much better ruling on a case I originally thought was going to ruin me. Kevin Richards negotiated it down to a minor inconvenience — at a very affordable rate with payment options.Ben
I have used Mr. Anderson many times to represent my son and I have always been impressed with the fact that he treats us like family.Anonymous
Mr. Anderson made sure I understood every aspect of my case and always kept me informed. He was available to answer questions at all hours of the day.Emma
Very professional, tough. Gets you what you want. Worked with several attorneys and he was the only one who got us the results we wanted and needed.Jasmin S.
He took the time to explain everything to me face-to-face. Whenever I contacted him he would return my call or email within a few hours.Andrew
Reviews are sourced from our public Google Business Profile. Some have been condensed for length; the clients and the underlying text are real. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Every review here started with one conversation. If you are facing a criminal charge in Utah, yours can start today.
Request a Consultation →Questions We Get About Utah Homicide Cases
These come up in almost every first consultation. Here is what we tell people.
- What is the difference between murder and manslaughter in Utah?
- The difference is mental state, not the outcome. Utah separates these offenses by what the person knew, intended or consciously disregarded at the time. That is a question of evidence, and it is where a great deal of the defense work sits.
- The police want to talk to me. Should I?
- Not without a lawyer present, however innocent you are. This is the single most consequential decision made in the early stage of these cases. Say that you want counsel, and then say nothing else at all.
- What happens first in a homicide case?
- An initial appearance, then a long period of investigation and disclosure. These cases move slowly and generate an enormous record. What happens in the first weeks — preserving evidence, locating witnesses — often matters most at the end.
- Can a homicide charge be defended as self-defense?
- Yes. Utah law recognizes justified use of force. Whether it applies depends on the circumstances as they reasonably appeared at the time. It is a defense that has to be developed early and supported, not simply asserted at trial.
- Do you bring in your own experts?
- Where the case calls for it, yes. Forensic conclusions are opinions, and opinions can be examined. Independent review of pathology, reconstruction or digital evidence is part of preparing one of these cases properly.
- Is every homicide case tried?
- No, but every one should be prepared as though it will be. Cases resolve for many reasons, and the strength of the preparation is usually what shapes the options that exist. Nobody can tell you at the outset how yours will end.
- Can you tell me what is going to happen to me?
- No, and you should be wary of anyone who says they can. What we can tell you is what the State has to prove, what the process looks like from here, and what we intend to do about each piece of it.
- What should I bring to the consultation?
- Any paperwork you have and a list of who was present. Charging documents, anything served on you, and the names of witnesses. If you have already spoken to investigators, tell us exactly what was said.
General information about Utah law, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case turns on its own facts.
Still have a question about your own situation? That is what the consultation is for. One hour, $100, credited to your retainer if we take your case.
Request a Consultation →The preparation starts now, not at trial.
In a case this serious the work done in the first weeks shapes everything that follows. If you or someone in your family is facing a homicide charge, call today.
$100 for a one-hour consultation, credited to your retainer if we take your case. Callback within 24 business hours.