A Marine Corps veteran who survived two combat tours was shot and killed trying to protect his housemates during a botched robbery in Salt Lake City in January 2019, and this week his mother and sister stood before Utah's parole board still waiting to learn who actually fired the fatal shot. Colton James Beed, now 27, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the killing of 26-year-old Mason Hunt and appeared before the Utah Board of Pardons for the first time, facing the family he helped devastate.
Hunt had served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan with the Marine Corps before he was shot and killed during the Jan. 12, 2019 robbery, according to KSL. Beed had agreed to meet others at a home at 359 N. Star Crest Drive that night to rob a known marijuana dealer who lived there, the outlet reported. Hunt reportedly had not wanted to live in the house because of his housemate's drug dealing, according to the same account.
A Call for Help That Led to Tragedy
A woman living in the home was there during the attempted robbery and tried calling 911 when the intruders showed up, but when that call did not connect, she called Hunt, another housemate, for help. The burglars initially left after failing to find any drugs, then circled back to the house. When they returned, Hunt managed to grab one of the intruders and put him in a headlock — and that is when someone walked up and shot him at close range, the station's report states.
Four males were charged as adults in connection with the crime, including one who was only 17 years old at the time, per the same account. Beed, who was originally charged with murder, ultimately pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to a minimum of five years and up to life in the Utah State Prison for aggravated burglary. Two of his co-defendants have since been granted parole, the outlet reported.
Family Presses for Answers That Still Don't Exist
At Tuesday's hearing, Hunt's sister, LauraKay Hunt, told the board that her brother was shot point blank during the robbery and asked members to weigh whether Beed has been rehabilitated and is ready for release. Their mother, Cindy Hunt, told the board her family still lacks closure because the identity of the person who actually pulled the trigger remains unknown. She also encouraged Beed to find courage and integrity moving forward.
Beed told the board he was a dumb young kid who was high out of his mind when he agreed to take part in the planned robbery, and he apologized for his role in the crime, saying he does not know who shot Hunt. He added that he knows for a fact the shooter is not currently incarcerated, though that claim has not been independently verified. Beed said he felt deeply ashamed for his involvement.
What Happens Next
The five-member Board of Pardons will now vote on whether to grant Beed parole or schedule another hearing. Under the board's own procedures, victims who testify are limited to five minutes each, and hearings like this one are held at either the Utah State Correctional Facility in Salt Lake or the Central Utah Correctional Facility in Gunnison, according to the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole. The board also notifies victims of tentative and actual hearing dates whenever a sentence allows for the possibility of parole.
Hunt's killing was one of 80 homicides recorded statewide in 2019, a total that matched 2017's figure and exceeded the 78 homicides recorded the year before, according to Deseret News. For the Hunt family, the case remains unresolved in the way that matters most to them: nearly eight years later, they still do not know who fired the shot that ended his life.
