Trial begins for 2015 triple-murder of infant, grandma, family friend

SALT LAKE CITY — After a decade-long wait, attorneys finally made their opening statements in the trial of Alexander Hung Tran, who is charged with three 1st-degree felony counts of aggravated murder.

The case began on Sept. 18, 2015, when 50-year-old Heike Poike, her 2-month-old granddaughter Lyrik Poike, and 28-year-old Dakota Smith were found dead inside a house at 639 N. Sir Philip Drive in the Rose Park neighborhood of Salt Lake City.

Smith was a friend of the Poike family.

Heike Poike was renting the upstairs portion of the residence from Tran, who lived in the basement. He described it as his mom’s house…

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