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Officer Joseph William Shinners, who was killed in duty Jan. 5, 2019.

Courtesy Provo Police Department

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Matt Frank Hoover, who is being charged in the murder of Provo police officer Joseph Shinners and faces additional felony charges, enters the 4th District Court for his initial appearance on Monday, Jan. 28, 2019, in Provo.

Evan Cobb, Daily Herald file photo

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After a two-week trial, a jury found Matt Hoover, the man accused of killing Provo police officer Joseph Shinners in 2019, guilty of aggravated murder in the officer’s death.

The verdict was read late Friday afternoon, resulting in sighs of relief and silent tears from family and friends of Shinners who attended the trial at Provo’s 4th Judicial District Courthouse.

Shinners was killed Jan. 5, 2019, outside of an Orem shopping center when he and several other police officers were attempting to arrest Hoover on outstanding warrants.

Shinners was shot in the chest after jumping in the passenger side of a pickup truck that Hoover attempted to flee in after Provo and Orem police officers surrounded the vehicle. Police had ordered him to exit the truck before Hoover attempted to drive away and Shinners jumped in the truck after an Orem officer.

Hoover also was found guilty on charges of failure to follow the commands of police, possession of a controlled substance and possession of a firearm as a restricted person.

In an immediate press release after the verdict, Kaylyn Shinners, the officer’s wife, expressed relief at the trial being completed.

“This verdict does not bring justice for me because you can never bring my husband back,” she wrote. “I will miss him forever and feel the impact of his loss forever. My boys, and my entire family will feel the impact of his loss forever.”

“This verdict does show our society that there are consequences to bad choices, and that it is unacceptable to kill our police officers who, like Joe, are putting their lives on the line daily dealing with the worst of society. If you kill our officers, you will get the maximum sentence,” she continued.

The Provo Police Department also released a statement stating the department has “mourned, honored and remembered our fallen brother.”

“Joe lost his life while bravely protecting the lives of a fellow officer and citizen during the apprehension of an armed and wanted felon,” the press release stated. “The Provo Police Department will never forget Joseph Shinners.”

In an interview with reporters after the verdict, Shinners’ brother Michael thanked the county prosecutors for their work and the jury for the verdict. He also thanked the Provo Police Department for its continued support of their family.

“There was a relief for all of us. It doesn’t bring him back but it gives us a level of justice so that we at least have some closure,” he said.

Attorneys for Hoover declined to comment after the trial.

“(It’s been) 1,896 days since office Joesph Shinners was murdered in the line of duty,” said Chad Grunander, deputy Utah County attorney, during closing statements. “Justice has been a long time coming for Officer Shinners and those who care about him.”

During opening statements and throughout the trial, the defense argued that Hoover did not intend to shoot Shinners but was trying to shoot himself. They also asserted that the gun may have gone off when another police officer who was in the truck attempted to wrestle the weapon away from Hoover.

“This is a tragic and unintentional outcome of a suicidal man making some real bad decisions on the night of Jan. 5,” said one of Hoover’s defense attorneys, Mary Corporon, during closing arguments.

Corporon pointed to the testimony of Hoover’s ex-wife and ex-girlfriend, who both said in court that Hoover told them he would commit suicide before going to prison again, refuting the claim that they said Hoover was willing to shoot it out with police. During the trial, prosecutors presented police interviews from both women who said Hoover had told them he planned to shoot it out with police if they attempted to arrest him.

While the defense refuted the charges of aggravated murder, Corporon did concede that Hoover acted “extraordinarily recklessly” that night and said it would not be “appropriate” to fully acquit Hoover. Instead, the jury should consider a lower charge, such as manslaughter or negligent homicide, she argued.

“The whole event is an ungodly tragedy,” Corporon said during closing arguments. “No one would ever dispute that Officer Shinners should be alive today.”

The case has seen delays over the past five years, from the COVID-19 pandemic delaying proceedings and the trial being postponed at the end of 2022 at the request of the defense.

Judge Kraig Powell, who presided over the trial, scheduled the sentencing hearing for June 4. Hoover is facing life without parole.

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