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Crime

On May 23rd, 2020, 25-year-old Ashlyn Black was matched with 24-year-old Ethan Hunsaker on Tinder. He picked her up later that night and went to a bar for drinks. Afterward, they returned to Ethan’s Layton, Utah home.

The two never argued and were hitting it off. They ended up cuddling and falling asleep. When Ethan woke up, he choked and stabbed Black unprovoked.

He contacted authorities afterward and told them he had killed somebody he met on social media. Police responded to the scene and saw Black dead on the floor of Ethan’s bedroom.

Ethan was arrested for murder. He told authorities he had been having daily thoughts of deleting himself and others. He also told them he was on several medications for mental health issues.

Legal Proceedings

In June 2021, he pleaded guilty and mentally ill to the murder. He had a mental health assessment before his sentencing. He was found to have a significant depressive disorder with psychotic characteristics.

At Ethan’s February 2022 sentencing, the judge had three options. Send him to a mental hospital for an undetermined amount of time, send him directly to prison, or send him to a mental hospital for 18 months before sending him to prison.

The judge felt Ethan was a risk to himself or others if he was sent straight to prison, so he sent him to a mental hospital for up to 18 months. After that, Ethan will be shipped off to prison to serve a 15-year to life sentence.