ST. GEORGE — A St. George man who appeared in court Thursday was sentenced to prison for admittedly stabbing his girlfriend to death in April of last year. 

Jonathon David Cross, 33, appeared before District Judge Keith C. Barnes for sentencing on first-degree murder, a charge he pleaded guilty to on March 30, while a misdemeanor criminal mischief charge was dismissed by the state.

During the hearing, the judge heard from the victim’s children and other family members who described the losses suffered in the wake of her death.

Lives changed forever on the morning of April 13, 2022

The case was filed following an incident that began shortly before 8:30 a.m. on April 13, 2022, when the St. George Communications Center received a call reporting that Cross had killed his girlfriend Lisa Breinholt at the townhouse the two shared on Sir Monte Drive in St. George, according to charging documents filed at the time of the arrest.

Cross and Breinholt were in a relationship that began 5-6 years before and were living together when the incident took place.

Cross, the report states, admitted to the 911 caller to killing his girlfriend and said he “wanted to die.” The reporting party told the defendant to drive to the police department and surrender — and it was in the parking lot of the St. George Police Department that officers found Cross shortly thereafter and he was then taken into custody.

Meanwhile, detectives responded to a residence on Sir Monte Drive in St. George where they found the victim dead from what appeared to be stab wounds. The detective said the woman was killed “in an extremely violent and brutal manner,” noting many defensive wounds on the woman’s hands.

On the morning of the incident, the affidavit stated, the couple was arguing. At some point, Cross forced his way into the bedroom the couple shared. Detectives at the scene found damage consistent with someone using force to enter the room where the victim ultimately was found.

Cross was transported to Purgatory Correctional Facility after being medically cleared at the hospital and the case was filed the following day. He has remained in custody without bond since his arrest.

‘No true or complete justice in a case like this’

During the sentencing hearing Thursday, prosecutor Ryan Shaum, who represented the state, opened by saying, “There is no true or complete justice in a case like this because the loss of the victim will continue for this family.”

As for the victim, Shaum said, “Lisa also has lost all of those relationships that she would have otherwise had here on this planet” because of the defendant’s actions. He also told the judge that several of the victim’s family members wanted to address the court.

One family member described her aunt as “someone who would light up any room.” She said the defendant’s actions destroyed two families, including his own, she said, that have to live with the fact that their son killed another human being “in such a brutal manner.”

The victim’s daughter opened by saying, “Our lives were changed forever on the morning of April 13, 2022.” She went on to describe her mother as not only “a great mother, but what a wonderful and loving grandmother she was” to her daughter’s son.

“She’s not going to get to meet her future grandson. He’s going to be born in July and I know he would have made her so happy,” she said.

A victim-impact statement from the victim’s son was read during the hearing, wherein he said he will carry the sadness from his mother’s death for the rest of his life and the defendant killed “a wonderful woman and the best mom.”

“Life without my mom is a life I don’t want — a life I didn’t ask for.” His statement went on to say that all his mother wanted for the defendant was to make him happy, but the defendant, he wrote, did not want the same for her, “or she would still be breathing today.”

The victim’s mother described as indescribable the grief that comes when a parent “has to bury one of their children,” adding that she had lost her husband to Lou Gehrig’s disease when he was 58 years old, which was “so hard.” But the death of her daughter was a loss that “came out of the blue,” that no one saw coming, she said, adding that it blindsided the family that was left lost and devastated.

She said that despite her grief, she had to be strong for her grandchildren and the rest of the family, particularly for the victim’s three children whose mother was taken from them that morning.

“What a terrible thing you did — but you will pay,” she said to the defendant. “I can’t forgive you until this is over today — but I want justice for my daughter.”

She continued by saying Cross would not be the only one left with the consequences of his actions, as he has left two families devastated — including his own family.

“Yes, you’ll have consequences – but we have consequences too,” she said.

Cross’ defense attorney Ryan Stout said that during the many meetings he has had with his client over the past year, his client has consistently taken full responsibility for his actions. Cross is, and continues to be, “extremely, extremely remorseful for his actions on that day.”

Stout added that during a number of discussions, he made sure his client knew that he could put up a defense and that trial was an option in the case — an option that his client was opposed to from the beginning. Cross did not want to put either family through any more suffering.

He also mentioned that his client has no prior criminal history, which the judge said would be taken into consideration by the Board of Pardons.

Cross addressed the court during the proceedings and said, “I’m sorry that many of you are still hurting and I’m truly sorry for all the pain that I caused.”

The ruling 

Prior to the ruling, the judge said he felt for all of the family members who lost a loved one — a loss that has left a void that may never fully heal, he said. He acknowledged the pain felt by both families, including the parents of the defendant who were also in the courtroom.

Barnes then referred to the statements that were read in court regarding the victim, which he said allowed him to “get to know your mom, daughter and friend – I greatly appreciate that.”

Referring to the statement of the victim’s mother, the family’s matriarch, Barnes said she did not hate the defendant for what he had done, when “it would be so easy” to do so, the judge said.

He closed by addressing the defendant, saying, “This was a senseless crime, Mr. Cross. A senseless crime.”

The judge then sentenced Cross to serve 15 years to life in Utah State Prison, the mandatory sentence under Utah law. The judge also ordered that Cross pay $7,000 in restitution to the family for funeral expenses.

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