OREM, Utah – An Orem man was arrested after police say he beat his stepfather to death.
According to Orem police, Strider Diem, 33, who had been drinking, arrived home at around 9 p.m. Wednesday and got into an argument with his mother. His stepfather, Melvin Rowley, 79, stepped in an attempt to stop the argument.
The fight escalated into a physical argument and Diem struck Rowley several times in the face, knocking him on the ground, police say. He then struck Rowley several more times.
Police say Diem’s mother was able to pull him off Rowley, and she chased him and yelled at him, alerting neighbors to call police. When police arrived, they found the woman giving CPR to Rowley.
Rowley was taken to a nearby hospital where crews worked on him for some time before putting him on machines. He was taken off those machines after family arrived and he died at around 2 a.m. Thursday.
Diem was found in the neighborhood and booked into the Utah County Jail on manslaughter charges.
