Kerry Bertelsen,Terri Bertelsen Obituary, Death; – The deceased couple discovered in their residence in West Valley City, along with their adult son who was shot by law enforcement during the incident, were publicly named by authorities on Friday.
Kerry Bertelsen, aged 67, and Terri Bertelsen, aged 63, were confirmed as the victims found lifeless in their home located near 3330 W Enterado Avenue on Wednesday, January 1. At approximately 5:12 p.m. that day, police responded to a 911 call originating from within the residence. Upon arrival, officers found the deceased couple and subsequently encountered their adult son, resulting in a fatal shooting.
The West Valley City Police Department identified the son as Erik Bertelsen, aged 35, stating that he is the primary suspect in the homicides of his parents. All three individuals resided at the Enterado Avenue address. Specific details regarding the circumstances of their deaths have yet to be disclosed.
The officer-involved shooting that resulted in Erik Bertelsen’s death is currently under investigation by the Salt Lake County Officer Involved Critical Incident Protocol team. Simultaneously, the alleged homicides are also being examined, with West Valley City police indicating that a motive for the killings has not yet been established.
Court documents reveal that Erik Bertelsen has a prior history of violent offenses. He pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault in 2009, was convicted of kidnapping in 2011, and found guilty of attempted assault by a prisoner in 2012.
Most recently, records indicate that Erik Bertelsen was arrested for intoxication on December 23 after allegedly informing an officer outside his residence that he was under the influence of “a lot of meth.”
While Erik Bertelsen is currently being investigated as a suspect in the deaths of his parents, the inquiry remains ongoing, and authorities have not reached any conclusions regarding his culpability.
