Naples Police arrest a male at the Sure Stay Hotel for strangling a female with a handkerchief

By Travis Uresk

3/22/25

| Naples, Ut. | March 20th, 2025 |

At around 9 PM, a Naples City Police Officer was dispatched to the Sure Stay Hotel on a report of domestic violence. Dispatch advised it had gotten physical where a female had to fight to get away from a male.

The complainant was a friend of the female from out of state.

Chief Simper responded to the hotel, spoke with the desk clerk, and asked if the female had a room in her name, and there wasn't. The clerk said he received a call from one of the rooms the night before complaining about a room with a male and female arguing.

Chief Simper, along with other officers, went to the third floor. In the room, all they could hear was the television. They knocked on the door, and a female answered. She identified herself as the reported female victim and advised that she did not currently need medical assistance.

The victim had numerous scratches around her mouth and chin. She had redness and swelling around her right eye and displayed petechiae. She was visibly shaken and broken in her speech. She said that her boyfriend, Ken, was inside the room and passed out on the floor. The officers had her move out of the way and entered the room.

When officers entered the room, they found an unresponsive male lying on the floor with the overwhelming odor of alcohol coming from his person. The room was littered with clothing, prescription medications, and food spread around the room.

Chief Simper called to Ken and received no response, touching him didn’t wake him either. The officer searched Ken for weapons and located his wallet with his Utah ID card identifying him as 35-year-old Kenneth Emmot Caleb Gober.

A sternum rub was conducted on Ken for 15-20 seconds before he began to respond.

Chief Simper asked Ken several questions about what occurred, and he repeatedly stated he could not believe she was doing this to him and that she cut herself. Ken had abrasions on his which resembled striking injuries.

The victim was hesitant at first to discuss the incident in detail, not wanting to get Kenneth in trouble. She stated there was a history of abuse between them. The victim stated they had been arguing. The victim wanted to call her friend for help, but Ken took her phone away and broke it. The victim attempted to use the landline phone in the room, and Kenneth yanked the cord out of the wall, breaking it.

Kenneth was described as heavily intoxicated, having drank a fifth and a pint of liquor in four hours. Kenneth was described as a violent drunk.

The victim stated Ken began grabbing her by the mouth, clawing and covering it. The victim described him pulling her hair, causing some to come out. They ended up on the ground, where Ken began strangling her with both hands. Ken then grabbed a handkerchief and started strangling her with it.

The victim stated she did not lose consciousness but felt like she was going to die, so she started to fight back. She grabbed his hair and began pulling out chunks. Ken punched her on both sides of her face using both hands. The victim got her leg up and kicked him off of her. The struggle continued until Kenneth passed out. This is when the victim called her friend, who contacted police.

Kenneth Gober was arrested and taken to the Uintah County Jail, and a jail release agreement was also put in place.

A victim advocate responded to the scene to provide assistance and guidance.

Chief Simper seized the handkerchief and chunks of hair as evidence.

While at the jail, Kenneth resisted the correction deputies and had to be restrained. His behavior would rapidly escalate and calm. He physically struck the door and walls.

All the articles from 1nationjustice.com are from the affidavits of probable cause reports that the officers write. If you would like, you can get a copy of the report from the website below. It does cost money to get on the site and to open every document you want to read.

https://pubapps.utcourts.gov/XchangeWEB/XchangeWebServlet