ROCK SPRINGS — A warrant for Linda Malone’s arrest shows Sweetwater County wants her back to face charges regardless of if she’s ready to return or not.
A bench warrant was issued Thursday for Malone’s arrest, one day after the deadline she was given to turn herself in to the Sweetwater County Detention Center by District Court Judge Suzannah Robinson. Robinson reinstated a $500,000 cash or surety bond and ordered Malone to return to Sweetwater County to face the charges during a hearing May 27. According to the detention center’s inmate roster, she didn’t show up.
Malone, accused of the abuse and murder of her husband John Malone, was last known to be living with her brother in Arkansas after flying out of Utah without permission. Following a fall from a second story mezzanine at the detention center, Malone was taken to Salt Lake City for treatment of her injuries. Her bond was amended to be an own recognizance bond as her injuries were deemed too substantial for her to be a flight risk. The University of Utah Hospital, which Sweetwater County Attorney Daniel Erramouspe said doesn’t often cooperate with law enforcement, later released her to a rehabilitation center without informing anyone. From there, Malone flew to Memphis, Tennessee without informing her attorney or the court, and was then taken to Arkansas by family.
In situations similar to Malone’s, bond is modified to allow a detention center inmate to receive treatment in Salt Lake City and not have the county incur the costs associated with treatment and hospitalization. Malone’s injuries involved multiple broken bones and were initially deemed life threatening. Gary Arnell, her defense attorney, previously told Robinson that Malone continues dealing with those injuries, saying she has lost some of her vision and hearing and cannot eat solid foods.
Malone had appeared virtually to her prior two hearings and Arnell attempted to convince Robinson that Malone should stay in Arkansas to receive the care she needs. However, Erramouspe argued she needs to return to the county as the detention center can handle her health problems. He argued that her behavior in not informing anyone she was traveling to Arkansas showed she is a flight risk.
