A Millcreek man was found guilty of assaulting a roommate in 2019

SALT LAKE CITY – A Millcreek man has been convicted of beating and killing his roommate nearly five years ago.

A jury convicted Tyler James Vernon, 43, of murder, a first-degree felony, after deliberating for about three hours last week.

On Feb. 18, 2019, a witness saw a man walk out of Vernon's home at 1280 E. 3770 South with a fire poker and heard him say, “His head was smashed,” according to charging documents.

Authorities said Vernon made several statements after arriving on the scene, including “I hit him” and “he's not breathing.”

Vernon was initially uncooperative and referred to officers as demons when they tried to interview him, according to the charges. An officer said he was taunting the police.

Steven Richard Nice, 61, suffered severe head injuries and police said he appeared to have been beaten. He was declared dead on the spot.

Vernon's trial has been set several times over the years but was delayed — at least once because attorneys were trying to negotiate a plea deal — until this month.

“I hope this conviction will help bring some measure of justice to the family and loved ones of Steven Nice,” Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said in a statement. “This office will relentlessly hold accountable those who commit heinous and brutal attacks like this one.”

Vernon is scheduled to be sentenced on January 16. Under Utah law, a conviction for murder carries a maximum sentence of 15 years to life in prison.