UT UT- Spence Mendenhall, 54, gay man, fatally shot, “clumsily staged” to look like suicide, @ home, Salt Lake City, 23 Oct.,1966, *New initiative*.

[dotr]

https://www.abc4.com/utah-cold-cases/homicide-gay-man-unsolved-60-yrs/

''SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Almost six decades later, the homicide of a 54-year-old Salt Lake City man remains unsolved.

On Oct. 23, 1966, Spence Mendenhall, 54, was found shot to death inside his apartment at 222 L Street in the Avenues, Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification records show.''

''According to a BCI case file, Mendenhall was single gay man who lived alone. However, he reportedly had many intimate friends.
It is believed that Mendenhall maintained his sexual orientation a secret. Documents indicate he paid several men to not disclose it.''

''According to the BCI report, the scene was “clumsily staged” to appear that Mendenhall had taken his own life. Reports indicate that despite police finding three bullet wounds, only two spent shell casings were ever found.

Remnants of a meal were found on the kitchen table, along with two plates, two knives, and two forks, reports show. A person of interest was questioned shortly after, against whom an extortion incident had been reported to police by Mendenhall. However, police cleared him as a suspect after a polygraph examination, archived news coverage shows.''

 

[dotr]

Oct 23, 2025
Police say that Mendenhall was murdered in Salt Lake on October 23, 1966, and the case has gone cold for nearly 60 years.

Spencer MENDENHALL

The victim was a 54 year old single gay man who lived alone in the apartment. He had several intimate friends. He had paid several men to not disclose his orientation. The victim’s brother lived in the area. He noticed the victim’s car had not moved for some time and the newspaper was still on […]

bci.utah.gov

• ''Date Body Found:10/23/1966
• DOB:1/1/1912
• Case #:1966-51745
• Agency:Salt Lake City Police
• type:unsolvedhomicide

The victim was a 54 year old single gay man who lived alone in the apartment. He had several intimate friends. He had paid several men to not disclose his orientation. The victim’s brother lived in the area. He noticed the victim’s car had not moved for some time and the newspaper was still on the front steps. He contacted the residential manager and they went to check the welfare of the victim. The victim was found shot to death inside the apartment. The scene was clumsily staged to appear like a suicide. There were no witnesses to the homicide.

Salt Lake City Police (801) 799-3000
Submit a tip for this Unsolved Homicide case''

 

[annemc2]

So sad. Did they just take his BCI file straight from 1966 and copy it for the "news" article? Some of this information could and should have been updated with modern lexicon.

 

[dotr]

A history of hate crimes in Utah

Utah's magazine for the LGBTQ and ally community

www.qsaltlake.com

''Spence Mendenhall
1966
Status: Unsolved

The 54-year-old bachelor who lived alone in Salt Lake City was found dead in his apartment on Oct. 23, 1966. He was shot three times in the head. His table was set with two plates, two knives, two forks and three glasses on the day he died.''

 

[rosesfromangels]

This is who needs to be involved or this will remain ice cold

• The Center for Homicide Research: This organization explicitly studies homicide in the LGBTQ+ community, focusing on cases that are often misunderstood or neglected by law enforcement. They work with law enforcement, advocates, and researchers to train officials and assist on both active and cold cases.

Amateur opinion and speculation only