WEST POINT, Utah — James Witten's wife said he was just an old man doing no harm when he was shot outside his West Point home over the weekend.
Maria Witten said her 71-year-old husband had stepped outside to take out the trash on Saturday night when he was shot just feet away from 2000 West.
"They killed an old man who was doing no harm," Maria said Monday.
Next door, Sara Herzog shared how it was still light out when she heard the gunshots.
"We were actually home, and then we heard the pop, pop, pop ... then all the police," Herzog explained.
The Davis County Sheriff's Office is now looking for a maroon Honda Civic that was seen leaving the area.
One dead after shooting in Davis County; Suspect unidentified:
For neighbors, Witten was more than the victim of a homicide investigation. Denise Albert said he was the kind of neighbor who helped without being asked.
"He would put my trash cans back against my fence after the trash collectors went by," Albert shared.
Albert served with Maria and James at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas, and shared a connection that spanned years of service and neighborhood life.
"Sweet, loving gentleman," said Albert. "Wonderful neighbor. He'll be missed."
Maria is now remembering 32 years together with James, including a recent six-week trip across the country.
"He was happy," she said, "and we did it in a motorhome, and we got along great."
She is now struggling to understand why someone would take her husband's life.
"To me, it's totally random," Maria said. "They just decided they were going to shoot the first person they saw in a yard."
