Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — One of the men who accused a retired San Juan County sheriff's chief deputy of sexual abuse is coming to terms with the fact that he won't be able to face his alleged abuser in court.
Grayson Redd, 74, died Sunday by suicide just two days after bailing out of jail. Redd, who was charged with more than a dozen felonies, was accused of abusing multiple boys over decades.
"My first thought was, at least he can't hurt anyone else," said Chase Doucet, who agreed to be identified by name. "The abuse is over for everyone."
Doucet, who grew up in Monticello but now lives out of state, said he was abused by Redd over six years as a teenager.
"I went to the same (church) ward as Grayson," Doucet said, "and I feel like that's how he found victims was gaining their trust and their parents' trust."
Doucet said he worked for Redd at his farm and that he "always told us that he was just hazing or harassing us and … pretty much led us to believe that it was part of growing up."
Initially, three men — including Doucet — came forward to accuse Redd of abuse dating back to 2003. But San Juan County Attorney Brittney Ivins felt there were more victims out there.
"I expected this went deeper than just the three people that had come forward," Ivins said.
After news of Redd's arrest on July 21 became public, four more people — all male — came forward to allege abuse at the hands of the former deputy, Ivins said.
"I appreciate the courage that they had to come forward," Ivins said, "so that we could at least get some closure in this case."
One of those men who later came forward, whom KSL is not identifying, said he was abused by Redd starting in 1967 when he was 12.
"It kind of affected my whole life," the man said, adding he became depressed and even suicidal. "I was a kid, and I didn't want anybody to know."
Redd, who retired from the San Juan County Sheriff's Office in 2011, appeared in court Friday. He was allowed to post $20,000 bail and be released from jail on several conditions.
"I would have preferred, obviously, that he be held without bail," Ivins said, noting she was concerned that Redd might try to kill himself. He was supposed to appear in court again in September.
Ultimately, Redd was found dead Sunday in the Monticello area. Ivins noted the potential impact his suicide could have on those who accused Redd of abusing them.
"They finally have had the courage to do so after years of abuse," Ivins said. "They don't get that guilty verdict, whether by plea or through a jury trial. They don't get that guilty verdict because we don't have a defendant to process."
Now that Redd is deceased, Doucet said he has mixed emotions.
"I feel upset, mad, sad that we didn't go through trial. I don't feel like we'll necessarily get that closure of him getting a guilty verdict," he said. "That's a little frustrating."
But, Doucet added, he's glad to know that "he can't hurt anyone."
Grayson Redd was the father of Brian Redd, who leads Utah's Department of Corrections. This week, a Corrections spokesman said the Redd family is "devastated and trying to make sense of what happened."
