Murderer convicted in 2019 shooting death of Provo police officer

PROVO, Utah — The man who fatally shot a Provo Police Department officer in 2019 will spend the rest of his life in prison.

Matt Frank Hoover, 45, was convicted by a jury in March of fatally shooting Officer Joseph Shinners while he and other officers were executing a drug court warrant.

On Tuesday, a judge sentenced Hoover to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The Provo courtroom heard several victim impact statements, including those from the late police officer's wife.

“My name is Kaylyn Shinners and I am the widow of Joseph Shinners. I hate that title,” she said. “Trying to write about how much my husband's death has affected me has been very difficult. Words simply cannot describe how I feel. Losing Joe has affected every part of my life, and it continues. I will never be able to fully describe how it has changed my life because I am still discovering it every day.

Shinners had worked for the Provo Police Department for three years before his murder.

The ministry released a statement after the conviction, in which it thanked those involved in the conviction and sentence. They specifically thanked Judge Kraig Powell for “upholding accountability by imposing the maximum sentence possible – recognizing the seriousness of the loss to Joe’s family and to our community as a whole.”

“We will continue to ensure that the memory and service of Joseph Shinners – paid to us at such a high price – is honored and will never be forgotten,” their statement continued.