Trial Ordered in Salt Lake City Bombings : Mormon Documents Dealer Charged in 2 Deaths, Fraud, Theft

A Salt Lake City judge on Thursday ordered Mormon documents dealer Mark W. Hofmann to stand trial on charges that he killed two people with pipe bombs and defrauded church authorities and others by selling forged historical documents, including a controversial letter regarding church founder Joseph Smith.

Fifth Circuit Court Judge Paul Grant bound over Hofmann, 31, to district court on two counts of first-degree murder in the Oct. 15, 1985, booby-trap bomb slayings of Mormon Bishop Steven Christensen, 31, and Kathleen Webb Sheets, 50, and 28 counts of fraud, theft by deception and bomb-making.

During the 11-day preliminary hearing, which stretched over five weeks, prosecutors elicited testimony from 39 witnesses to back up their claim that Hofmann killed Christensen and Sheets in a desperate scheme to cover up his sale of as many as 21 fraudulent historical documents to the Mormon Church and private collectors for a total of nearly $1 million.

Hofmann, who is free on a $120,000 property bond, could receive the death penalty if convicted on the murder charges. His attorney, Ronald Yengich, said he was prepared for the ruling and that the trial will probably take place next year.

Two forgery experts testified at the hearing that historical documents, including the so-called “White Salamander” letter purportedly written by early Mormon convert Martin Harris in 1830, were fakes.

The salamander letter links Smith to folk magic and treasure hunting. The document, which Christensen bought from Hofmann for $40,000 and later donated to the church, also contradicts official church accounts of how Smith obtained ancient golden plates from which he claimed to translate the Book of Mormon, which the 6-million-member Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints considers to be sacred Scripture.

The forgery experts testified that the papers they examined showed signs of artificial aging, forged handwriting, changed dates, and that some documents appeared to have been printed entirely from modern plates and rubber stamps.

In his summary argument, Salt Lake County Deputy Atty. Robert Stott said Hofmann killed Christensen because Christensen had learned of the scheme and was about to expose Hofmann. Defense attorney Yengich rejected the theory, saying that Christensen was trying to help Hofmann settle debts of more than $1 million and did not have a motive to kill him.