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Community reacts with sadness, anger after Black’s arrest

Posted at 8:47 PM, Jul 10, 2012
and last updated 2012-07-11 22:28:00-04

WEST JORDAN, Utah - Weeks after 6-year-old Sierra Newbold was kidnapped, sexually assaulted and murdered, police announced they arrested the man they believe committed the crime. West Jordan residents are now feeling a sense of relief that the suspect is in prison, but some say they're also angry and heartbroken.

Sierra is remembered as a friendly, outgoing girl. Friends and neighbors are now expressing anger that 41-year-old Terry Lee Black allegedly kidnapped, brutally sexually assaulted then killed her.

"She was just outgoing, just that kind of a girl, loved to talk, loved to be around people and he took that from her, he took that from her," said Sonny Jckowski, a neighbor. "How could somebody do something like that?"

Charging documents describe the signs of sexual abuse, multiple contusions, strangulation and finally drowning Sierra endured before her death. Neighbors are now calling for justice for Sierra.

"Hopefully now the justice system does their job and they do it correctly and they put him away for life, give him the chair, give him something because she didn't deserve that; he does now," said neighbor Todd Archuleta.

The Newbold’s neighbor, Elden Thomas, says he understands all the anger being directed at Black. He says while the suspect sits in jail, people need to remember the suspect’s wife and their two children.

"You can't be married to someone for that long and then find out they're some kind of monster," says Thomas.

But that was what happened Tuesday, when police broke the news to Gloria Black after Terry was charged with child kidnapping, rape and murder.

Thomas says all he can do now is offer his love and support for both the victim’s family and the wife and children of Terry Black.

Black now sits in the Salt Lake County Jail on first-degree felony charges of aggravated murder, child kidnapping and rape of a child. His bail is set at $2 million.

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