TREMONTON, Utah — Ryan Michael Bate, the man accused of killing two Tremonton police officers in August 2025, made an appearance at a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.
Bate faces charges including aggravated murder, in the August 17 deaths of Sgt. Lee Sorensen and Ofc. Eric Estrada. The officers were responding to a domestic violence call in which Bate's wife claimed he had slammed her head into a door, choked her, and restrained her to a bed.
Sgt. Sorensen's friends, family remember his legacy:
Prosecutors painted a calculated picture of Bate, claiming he had placed weapons and ammunition inside his garage along with empty liquor bottles that he had filled with gasoline.
Bate opened fire on the first officer as he was leaving the scene, and then shot and killed another officer who was attempting to assist the first. Bate also shot at a Box Elder County sheriff's deputy and his K-9, who were both injured and have since recovered.
Ofc. Eric Estrada lived life centered around 'love, service, and family':
One of the Weber County detectives, Steve Zaccardi, described to the court his experiences on the night; getting calls from other officers saying there had been a shooting, and responding to the area.
He also detailed the investigation that followed the deadly shooting, including interviews and audio files they received from the victim of the domestic violence incident. During Wednesday’s hearing, the court also ruled that a recorded interview with the victim would be allowed to be heard, but limited it to just the statements made by the victim.
