A 33-year-old Utah man, Alexander Paul Wardell, is facing murder charges for the brutal 2023 burning death of his then-girlfriend, Morgan Kay Harris, and her dog, Huck. Wardell allegedly locked both inside a storage unit that was then engulfed in flames.
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As reported by KSL.com, the incident occurred back on February 18, 2023. First responders arrived at a small storage unit in Murray, Utah, after receiving reports of a fire. Upon arrival, they noticed a padlock that prevented them from accessing the unit.
However, once they gained entry, they found the charred remains of Harris and Huck. Harris’ boyfriend at the time, Wardell, was arrested and allegedly admitted to putting Harris and Huck in the unit, locking it from outside, and leaving the area.
However, an investigation carried out by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and District Attorney Sam Gill concluded that it was “not likely” that Wardell had intentionally set the storage unit on fire. Therefore, in 2024, no charges were filed against him.
“How do I prove she did not consent to that? With what evidence do I do that? Who do I put on the stand?” Gill said at the time. “We found no evidence going through her phone, his phone, all the material that we could gather, that led us to get to any of that point… we looked.”
However, this outcome enraged Harris’ mother, Laurice Williamson, who said that DA Gill “did not even know the case.” Therefore, in an attempt to get justice for her daughter, she contacted the Utah Attorney General’s Office. She requested that her daughter’s case be reviewed.
Case Reviewed, Charges Filed
Utah Attorney General Derek Brown heard her request, as per KUTV. On Thursday, August 28, 2025, Alexander Paul Wardell was charged wtih first-degree felony murder – domestic violence, second-degree felony kidnapping – domestic violence, and misdemeanor aggravated animal cruelty.
As part of the Attorney General’s review of the case, a search warrant was served on a duffel bag. It had been collected as evidence by the Murray Police Department at the time. Inside, authorities found a blood-stained shirt that had burn marks. A DNA test matched the blood found on the shirt with Harris’s blood.
The days leading up to Harris’s death were also vital for the AG’s case. Charging documents revealed that on February 8, 2023, Harris allegedly sent a troubling Facebook message to Wardell.
“Guess I’m gonna apply to live by myself at an apartment you won’t know about so you can’t (expletive) abuse or kill me,” the message allegedly read.
Domestic Violence Past
Then, on February 16, 2023, Harris bailed Wardell out of jail. He had been arrested for violating his probation’s conditions in connection with a previous domestic violence conviction. This was the second time Harris bailed Wardell out, according to authorities.
According to the charging documents, Harris and Wardell had a troubled relationship. A former roommate believed Wardell had allegedly hit Harris in the past, an allegation Harris denied at the time. They, however, were seen arguing moments before her death, as shown in surveillance video recorded from the store unit.
DA Gill, following the new charging decision by the AG, told KUTV, “If the Attorney General has a different perspective, we share a mutual desire for a just outcome.”
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, you can reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233. You can also chat with a representative at thehotline.org​ or by texting “START” to 88788.