Police searching for motive behind West Jordan double shooting

WEST JORDAN – Investigators have identified the two men who died in connection with a shooting inside a garage in West Jordan.  However, they still have a lot of questions about what happened, and people who knew them say this shooting was a total surprise.

One of the men, Terence Neilsen from Alabama, had been staying at the home of Kourtnee Jacob.  She says, at first, Neilsen was reluctant to accept any kind of help.  After a while, the two became friends, and she cried as she remembered what kind of man Neilsen was.

“He was soft-spoken, tall and a beautiful soul,” Jacob says, adding, “He could sing like no other.  He read his Bible.  He was good with my kids.”

Neilsen was reportedly very close to moving out of Jacob’s garage and into temporary housing.  Jacob says he was putting his life back on track.

Jacob says, “It was a temporary situation.  He was doing really good.”

The other man has been identified as Anthony Dawson, from Utah.  Investigators say both of them had been homeless, but, they’re not exactly sure how the two met.

“We know they’re acquaintances, of some kind, but, as far as the relationship, we’re still looking into it,” according to West Jordan Police Officer Jennifer Worthen.

Police say this shooting could be a murder-suicide, but they’re not able to say which one of the men opened fire.

Worthen says, “The detective are in the process of identifying them.  We’ve had the crime scene [unit] out that night and again this morning.”

Police say they’re still not certain what the motive was behind the shooting.  People who have spoken with investigators say they had no idea there had been any friction between the two.