Nicole “Nicki” Peterson, also known as Nicki Dinehart, 40, was shot and killed in Pleasant Grove on May 19. (Family photo)
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PLEASANT GROVE — A Provo man now faces a murder charge accusing him of shooting his mother multiple times — including after she was already on the ground — and killing her following an argument over money.
Gage Anthony Dinehart, 21, is charged in 4th District Court with murder, a first-degree felony.
On May 19, Pleasant Grove police responded to a report of gunfire in the area of 200 West and 200 North and found the body of a woman lying in the road next to a Chevy Tahoe. Nicole “Nicki” Peterson, also known as Nicki Dinehart, 40, was shot three times and pronounced dead at the scene.
While emergency crews were still at the scene, Gage Dinehart approached paramedics and told them he had been involved in a crime, according to charging documents.
“I just shot my mom. … I shot my mom,” he told police, according to the charges. “He also told officers where he had placed the gun and the hoodie he had been wearing. Officers located the gun and hoodie at the Pleasant Grove Cemetery approximately one to two blocks from the shooting.”
Earlier in the evening, Peterson, who was recently married, was at home with her husband when Dinehart stopped by. The husband told the police that Dinehart was asking his mother for money and not being nice about it.
“Sometime after the victim’s husband went to bed, the victim woke him up and told him she was leaving to go to the bank to get some money and take (her son) to the bar,” the charges state.
Dinehart and Peterson then left the house together. Police were called a short time later.
Surveillance video collected by detectives captured the incident. In it, Peterson appears to be shot in the face and promptly gets out of the SUV screaming, the charging documents say.
“The shooter then circled around to the other side of the vehicle and fired a second shot. The victim continued to make noises at which point (Dinehart) is observed walking back over to the victim who is now on the ground, and he fires a third shot,” the charges state.
Peterson was a local tattoo artist. A celebration of her life is scheduled for Saturday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ meetinghouse in Pleasant Grove at 408 W. 1300 North.
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Pat Reavy is a longtime police and courts reporter. He joined the KSL.com team in 2021 after many years of reporting for the Deseret News
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