Woman dies in fire after boyfriend locks her in storage unit

A 27-year-old woman from Utah and her dog were discovered dead in a burned storage container after the woman's boyfriend, who had been released from jail the day before, is said to have locked her inside and left.

Morgan Kay Harris on Left, Morgan with her boyfriend Alexander Wardell, who locked her in the storage unit on RightPhoto byFacebook

"Our daughter, Morgan Kay Harris was always known for her sweet, shy, and kind temperament, being a deep thinker with amazing artistic abilities and always having an infectious giggle. She was a beautiful model and makeup artist and a successful medical assistant," Harris' family posted on social media following her death. 

Police in Murray, Utah, responded to a CubeSmart Self Storage facility last Saturday after receiving complaints of a fire. Police discovered Harris' body as well as that of her dog Huck after putting out the fire.

Photo byFoxNews

The following day, officers arrested Alexander Wardell, 30, on one felony kidnapping charge and one charge of negligent homicide. Wardell, Harris' boyfriend, admitted to locking her in the unit on purpose and leaving the scene. The woman and her dog were trapped inside the burning unit when it later took fire.

Wardell had just been released from prison when the event occurred. Prior to the incident on Thursday, the Salt Lake City Police Department issued a warrant for his arrest for violating his probation. According to court records, Wardell posted a $5,000 bond and was released out of custody on Friday.

In 2018, he was found guilty of beating his ex-girlfriend with a golf club and threatening her with a knife. This led to the probation violation. He was incarcerated for more than 200 days, entered a plea of guilty to the counts of third-degree aggravated assault and criminal mischief, and was spared five years in prison in exchange for 36 months on probation.

Wardell received further jail time for frequently breaking the terms of his probation before being transferred to a sober house in March 2022. On Sunday, he was taken to the Salt Lake County Jail on homicide and kidnapping charges, as well as a probation violation.

The investigation is still ongoing, and the fire's cause has not yet been identified.

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Source:

https://www.kiro7.com/news/trending/utah-woman-dog-found-dead-locked-storage-unit-that-caught-fire/4Q7LANETDNGX7IFKG4ZDAWLSYU/

https://www.foxnews.com/us/utah-woman-her-dog-die-in-storage-unit-fire-after-jailbird-boyfriend-locked-them-inside-police

https://www.ksl.com/article/50587185/family-of-woman-who-died-in-storage-unit-fire-remembers-the-life-she-lived