Man arrested in Vernal murder case, exactly 52 years after the date of the crime

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Exactly 52 years ago to the day, a man was arrested in a murder case.

Darrell Eugene Choate was arrested Tuesday by Uintah County sheriff’s investigators after being identified as a suspect in a 1972 rape and murder case.

Choate is accused of murdering Gregory Nickell by shooting him in front of an 18-year-old woman near Vernal. Choate and a man named Daniel Bell were also accused of raping the 18-year-old after the murder.

An arrest warrant was signed for Choate on October 30.

Officials with the Uintah County Sheriff’s Office announced that Choate was arrested Tuesday at a Salt Lake City hospital. The delay in arrest was due to “unspecified medical issues,” officials said.

The murder occurred on November 26, 1972 and Choate was arrested exactly 52 years later.

Police said they want to talk to anyone who has any connection or information about Choate. Officials said Choate “has a criminal history and residence history in Uintah, Carbon and Duchesne counties, as well as in the states of Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas.”

“If you have information about people he may have confided in, or recall conversations in which he disclosed even the smallest details, your information could be vital to law enforcement,” a news release said.

Confidentiality is guaranteed. If you have any information, please contact the Sheriff’s Office at 435-781-6700 or email [email protected].

Police said Choate was a white male, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 150 to 150 pounds, with “bluish-brown eyes” and brown hair. They added that he had been a horse rider, rifleman, truck driver, ranch hand, oil field worker and worked in mining.

Nickell was burned in his car after Choate and Bell allegedly stole it with Nickell’s body and the woman inside.

DNA evidence was taken from the woman and stored for observation when the technology became available.

In 2015, the DNA sample was re-evaluated and Bell was identified as one of the suspects. Bell died in 2019 before the test results were available.

Choate remained unknown until recently, which led to the warrant being signed for his arrest.

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