Newsbreak: Utah Woman and Her Dog Found Dead in Burned Storage Unit, Boyfriend Charged

A 27-year-old woman from Utah, Morgan Kay Harris, and her dog were found dead in a burned storage unit, allegedly locked inside by her boyfriend, who had just been released from jail the day before. According to a report by Fox News on February 23, 2023, Harris’ family described her as a kind and talented individual who worked as a medical assistant and a makeup artist.

Police were called to the CubeSmart Self Storage location after receiving reports of a fire. After putting out the flames, police discovered Harris’ body and that of her dog. Her boyfriend, Alexander Wardell, was arrested the following day on charges of kidnapping and negligent homicide. Wardell had admitted to intentionally locking Harris inside the unit and leaving the scene before it caught fire.

Based on a report by KUTV on February 19, 2023, Wardell was released from jail just one day prior to the incident after paying a $5,000 bond for violating his probation in 2018, when he was found guilty of assaulting his former girlfriend with a golf club and threatening her with a knife. After violating his probation multiple times, he spent over 200 days in jail before being sent to a sober house in March 2022.

Wardell was taken to the Salt Lake County Jail on charges of homicide and kidnapping, as well as a probation violation, after being arrested on Sunday, as reported by KUTV.

The investigation into the incident is still ongoing, and the cause of the fire has not been determined. The family of Harris expressed their grief over the loss of their daughter and requested privacy during this difficult time.