Jury finds accused cop killer not guilty

SPANISH FORK Utah (ABC 4 News) -  A jury found Roberto Roman not guilty of charges stemming from the death of a Millard County sheriff deputy.

The jury returned the verdict after deliberating eight and a half hours Friday, but the eight man jury did find Roman guilty of tampering with evidence and possession of a firearm.

Deputy Josie Greathouse Fox was killed in 2010 during a routine traffic stop. The defense maintained that Fox was shot by her brother Ryan Greathouse who was with Roman. 

In testimony, Roman claimed they had used methamphetamines and when Fox stopped his vehicle Ryan Greathouse who was a passenger in the vehicle shot at Fox as she approached the vehicle.

Despite confessing to detectives, Roman testified that he took the rap because Greathouse had threatened to kill his family. Roman fled the scene and was later arrested in Beaver.  He admitted that he was headed to Mexico.

Roman was charged with aggravated murder in addition to firearms possession and obstruction of justice.

But during the trial defense attorneys cast doubt about what actually happened.

A juror told reporters that without Ryan Greathouse's testimony they were not absolutely certain of what really happened.

Greathouse committed suicide in a Las Vegas hotel several weeks after his sister was killed.

Roman will be sentenced in October.