Widow Speaks Out at Matt Hoover Sentencing

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Matt Frank Hoover was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Provo police officer Joseph Shinners after five years of legal proceedings.

In March, Hoover was found guilty aggravated murder, failure to respond to an officer's signal to stop, possession or use of a controlled substance and possession or use of a firearm by a restricted person.

Hoover also faces up to five years for each additional charge, all of which will continue consecutively.

Family members make statements about consequences

During the sentencing hearing, Kaylyn Shinners gave a statement to the court, sharing the pain she has been going through since her husband's death.

“My name is Kaylyn Shinners and I am the widow of Joseph Shinners,” she said through tears. “I hate that title.”

Kaylyn Shinners said the loss of her husband affected every aspect of her life and she described him as an amazing husband and father. She spoke about the day she died and her experience rushing to the hospital.

“A few hours before, he was cuddling our little boy and telling me he loved me as he left for work. And then I spent the rest of the night with my husband's body, touching his face and telling him how much I loved him, even though he was already gone,” she said.

Kaylin Shinners said she found out she was pregnant days after her husband's funeral and didn't feel the joy or excitement she felt the first time she was pregnant , because she knew she would have to raise the child alone.

“There's nothing better than becoming a widow at 28, knowing I still have a long time left without my best friend, dreading my future instead of looking forward to it,” she said. declared. “I can tell you that time does not heal all wounds. »

Joseph Shinners' brother, sister-in-law and father also spoke. They shared the “devastating impact” her loss had on the family.

“Joe Shinners is dead. He left this earth. he was taken from us because a selfish man didn’t want to go back to prison,” said Mike Shinners, Joseph’s brother.

Hoover apologizes

Matt Hoover spoke at the sentencing, apologizing to the family for his role in Joseph Shinners' death, adding that he never intended to hurt anyone.

“I'm a drug addict, I've never hurt anyone and I never intended to do that that night, so I'm sorry,” he said. “I take full responsibility for what I did…I should have gotten help like I was supposed to.”

He said he feels for the family and thinks about the Shinners every day. He called the incident an accident and called another police officer to the scene, saying he did not believe removal was the appropriate response to the situation.

“I was fighting with another cop, you know, it blew up. So for these guys to say I planned this ruthlessly and talk about me like I'm a monster,” he said. “If they think I'm a monster I'm sorry but I'm not, I didn't mean to do that.”

Joseph Shinners was killed in 2018 after Hoover tried to evade arrest by ramming a vehicle into a police car and crashing into a building.

After the accident, Shinners entered Hoover's truck to help another officer detain him. Shinners was shot and later died from his injuries.

“I really wish I could come back tonight too, and not because I'm in prison, but because it hurts to see a family without a father, without a brother,” Hoover said.