Suspect Arrested in Kane County Petroglyph Vandalism Case

Authorities in Southern Utah have arrested a suspect in connection to the vandalism of Native American petroglyphs in Kane County. 

Our news partners with ABC4 Utah reported on the arrest through an article written by Trevor Myers. 

Myers wrote, “Officials with the Utah Bureau of Land Management announced Monday that a suspect has been arrested in connection to the vandalism of petroglyphs in southern Utah. Officials said a suspect was taken into custody on Saturday, Nov. 30, for felony charges related to the case. The incident was first caught on camera by members of the public and reported to the Kane County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, Nov. 23.” 

The petroglyphs represent significant parts of history for the Native American people in the area, making the vandalism a hard pill to swallow for the community. 

Myers wrote, “’These things are sacred to Native Americans,’ Barber said. ‘They’re always fun to come upon. We like for people to find them, to take pictures of these petroglyphs, but to not damage them.’ The damaged petroglyphs are located at the Wire Pass Trail in Kane County. Barber said that using photos taken by members of the public, law enforcement officials with the BLM and Kane County were able to make the arrest.” 

The BLM said the suspect arrested will face multiple felonies for the alleged case of vandalism, but it won’t repair the damage done to these storied petroglyphs. 

Myers wrote, “The BLM said vandalism is a crime punishable by law, but it also has ‘lasting consequences that can never be made 100% whole again.’ The bureau expressed its gratitude to the Kane County Sheriff’s Office and the members of the public who reported the incident.” 

As for how severe the punishment will be for vandalizing the petroglyphs, we won’t know until the courts have a say. We’ll provide updates as the story develops.