PROVO, Utah — The Orem man who pleaded guilty to manslaughter after pushing his girlfriend to commit suicide will serve up to 20 years in prison after being sentenced on Friday.
Caleb Rees appeared in Fourth Judicial District Court in Provo for his sentencing hearing, three months after agreeing to a plea deal in the death of Rena Nguyen. Judge Sean M. Petersen handed down sentences of 0-5 years for each of the four charges that Rees had pleaded guilty to.
Along with manslaughter, Rees also pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance.
“I’ve seen and heard some of the saddest and hardest situations imaginable… this case was different for a lot of reasons… it’s a case I frankly find disturbing," said Judge Sean M. Petersen before announcing the sentence.
The sentences will run consecutively.
Nguyen died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on October 1, 2021. An investigation showed that Rees was aware his 20-year-old girlfriend was in a "mental health crisis" and that she had texted a friend earlier in the day, threatening to commit suicide.
After the friend called police about Nguyen's suicide threats, an officer called to check on her health, which upset Rees, sparking an argument between the couple that was captured on one of many audio records made by Nguyen.
"Thanks, Rena, for ruining my life," Rees was later heard, while singing in a mocking tone, as he made arrangements for her to be moved out of their home.
Prosecutors claimed that after Rees berated Nguyen, he left a loaded handgun on a table in their bedroom within her line of sight before walking out of the room.
During an audio recording, a muffled sound of movement was heard while Rees was on the phone with his mother, followed by a gunshot.
Nguyen had accused Rees of domestic violence and sexual assault, and had moved out to stay in a shelter at some point. She had previously threatened to break up with Rees over accusations that he sold drugs.
For those struggling with thoughts of suicide, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can now be reached by simply dialing 988 any time for free support. Resources are also available online at utahsuicideprevention.org.
Resources for domestic violence victims/prevention (free, 24/7, confidential):
- Utah Domestic Violence Coalition
- Hotline: 1-800-897-LINK (5465)
- Online help: udvc.org
- National Domestic Violence Hotline
- 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
- Online live chat: thehotline.org
- If you or someone else is in immediate danger, or in an emergency, call 9-1-1 immediately.
