Murder Suspect Steals Plane Before Killing Self

By KSEE News

Credit: Courtesy KSL / Deseret News

Authorities say a man tried to make off with an aircraft at a St. George, Utah, airport before killing himself on Tuesday.

July 17, 2012 Updated Jul 17, 2012 at 1:50 PM PDT

A murder suspect from Colorado appears to have attempted to hot-wire a SkyWest Airlines regional jet at the airport in St. George, Utah, overnight, then crashed it into a fence before killing himself, federal law enforcement authorities said Tuesday.

Brian Hedglin, 40, a pilot on leave from the regional carrier, broke into the plane, which was parked at the tiny airport in southwest Utah, authorities told NBC News. He got the plane started but clipped a wing before he got airborne and crashed the aircraft into a fence. He then shot himself dead, authorities say.

Hedglin was wanted by police in Colorado Springs in the slaying last week of his former girlfriend, 39-year-old Christina Cornejo.

At the time of Cornejo's slaying, Hedglin was free on $10,000 bond after being accused of harassing her. Cornejo’s body was found Friday morning at a residence where police had been asked to do a welfare check.

According to the Colorado Springs Gazette, court records show that Hedglin had dated the victim for four years and was arrested in March for allegedly harassing her.

To read the rest of this NBC News story, CLICK HERE.

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