SPANISH FORK – Spanish Fork police said Monday a Lindon police officer who shot and killed his family in January was troubled by a dark past and had a history of drug abuse. 

The final investigation results in the murder-suicide of Joshua Boren’s family and mother-in-law were obtained through a GRAMA request by the Daily Herald Monday, and the 145-page report details Boren’s dark past and the marital issues that eventually led to the shooting.

Police say the investigation confirmed initial suspicions that Boren shot and killed his wife, Kelly Boren; his two children, Joshua “Jaden” Boren and Haley Boren; and his mother-in-law, Marie King, before shooting himself at the family’s home in Spanish Fork on Jan. 16. 

The report states that Boren had moved the bodies of his wife and children after shooting them and laid them on the bed in the master bedroom before lying down on the bed and shooting himself. King’s body was found in a TV room in the home. According to the report, both Boren and King had one gunshot wound but Kelly, Jaden and Haley all had multiple gunshot wounds to the head and chest area. 

“The physical evidence at the scene indicated that Josh murdered the other four victims before killing himself,” Sgt. John Jackson with the Spanish Fork Police department wrote in the report. “The evidence found after the fact establishes that Josh was a very troubled individual that felt like he was about to lose his wife and children. This establishes motive for Josh to commit these murders.” 

The report states that Boren had been living in an apartment in Spanish Fork for several months and that Boren and Kelly were separated and considering divorce.

According to the report, several people, including a therapist Boren was seeing, told police that Boren had drugged and raped Kelly on several different occasions and had filmed the incidents. 

The couple got into a heated argument via text message the night before the murders. 

“I didn’t [expletive] quit,” Kelly wrote. “You raped me.”

“I did this but you won’t let us support each other threw it,” Boren responded. 

“Can you not listen. Can you not hear that. You can’t fix it Josh. I hate my life. Because [of] you,” Kelly wrote.  

“We could come together and fix our [expletive],” Boren responded. “It would take both of us to do any good.” 

“You killed a part of me,” Kelly responded. “I’m done. You’re right. I quit. I give us. Now leave me alone.” 

Police said no video evidence of any of the alleged rapes were ever found, but journal entries found in Boren’s apartment support the allegations of rape. The report also states that Kelly was having an affair with a man she met at a gym. 

Marital issues were just part of Boren’s past that was outlined in the report. According to information obtained from Boren’s application to Utah Peace Office Standards and Training and his application to work for the Utah County Sheriff’s department, Boren had a history of drug use and inappropriate sexual activity.

Boren admitted to using acid, cocaine, marijuana, meth and mushrooms in both applications but said he hadn’t used any drugs since 2000. The applications also revealed that Boren had a juvenile history that included arrests for shoplifting, assault, burglary of a vehicle, possession of alcohol, receiving stolen property and possession of drug paraphernalia. 

According to the report, Boren revealed during a psychological evaluation prior to starting work for the Utah County Sheriff’s Office that he had been sexually abused as a child and had had sex with both males and females when he was 13 to 14 years old. 

In reference to the journal entries found in Boren’s apartment, Jackson wrote in the report, “I learned from the writing that Josh was dealing with several issues emotionally. He had been abused physically, sexually and emotionally as a child, and was still upset with his mother for not protecting him from the abuse.” 

The report also said that Boren had a packet from the State Medical Examiner’s Office documenting his father’s suicide. Kenneth Boren shot and killed himself with a rifle in 1984. 

Police also say the murder weapon was Boren’s .40 caliber Glock service weapon, issued by the Lindon Police Department. The ammunition used was also issued by the Lindon Police Department. Autopsies showed no evidence of drugs or alcohol in Boren or any of the victims.