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Meagan Grunwald: ‘Forbidden’ Love Between Cop Killer, Baby-Faced Utah Teen On ID

By Traciy Reyes
Published on: 02:07 PST, Mar 10, 2017

Meagan Grunwald was just a 17-year-old girl who got caught up in a Bonnie and Clyde-like crime spree that ended in the death of her much-older lover, Jose Angel Garcia Juaregui, and the cop that he killed three years ago, Sgt. Cory Wride. Meagan Grunwald, who is currently in prison, will be the focus of a documentary show that will air on Investigation Discovery tonight. Forbidden Dying For Love’s episode, “Hell’s Angel,” will re-create the tragic events. Guests on the show will most likely include family and friends of Cory Wride and Meagan Grunwald.

On Forbidden Dying For Love: Snowstorm Traffic Stop Ends In Death For Utah Cop

When Utah police officer Sgt. Cory Wride stopped a couple during a snowstorm to see if they needed help, he had no idea it would be the last stop he’d make. Cory Wride was shot dead by a man who police say was inside of that vehicle. The killer was 27-year-old Jose Angel Garcia Juaregui.

From there, Jose Angel Garcia Juaregui and his 17-year-old girlfriend, Meagan Grunwald, fled the scene but not without making one more costly mistake by shooting another police officer who they encountered during their efforts to escape. That officer, deputy Greg Sherwood, survived the shooting.

Police bulletins alerted neighboring counties that they were on the lookout for a couple who was armed and dangerous. However, only one of them was armed, Jose Angel Garcia Juaregui. A terrified Meagan Grunwald told investigators that Juaregui made her drive the car, stating that he threatened to kill her if she didn’t.

Meagan Grunwald: Deadly Lovers On The Run

What officers didn’t know at the time was that Meagan Grunwald and Jose Angel Garcia Juaregui were madly in love. Jose had completely transfixed his young lover, using his street smarts and prison swagger to sweep her off of her feet. But their love was about to come to a screeching halt after Juaregui learned that his parole officer had taken out a warrant for his arrest. In other words, Jose Angel Garcia Juaregui was headed back to prison.

It was by pure chance that Cory Wride happened upon Meagan Grunwald and Jose Juaregui that day in Eagle Mountain. What had started out as a welfare check changed after Wride became suspicious of the pair. While he ran their information, Jose Angel Garcia Juaregui knew it was just a matter of time before the cop learned that he had been given a fake name.

In an effort to save himself and his relationship with Meagan Grunwald, Juaregui shot Wride. Jose Angel Garcia Juaregui was eventually chased down and killed as he tried to flee with Meagan Grunwald by his side.

According to Forbidden Dying For Love, it’s a tragic story of love and death. Since her lover was dead, Meagan Grunwald had to stand trial all alone. She cried in court and caught the attention of Cory Wride’s widow, Nan Wride, who called Meagan Grunwald a “sweet girl” and told her that she was forgiven, the Deseret News reported.

“I looked at her square in the eyes, and I could see it, I could see that she was truly sorry. I could see the weight lifted because she was wanting us to forgive her. I think the biggest thing is going to be her forgiving herself now. You are forgiven, sweet girl. I hope that one day you can forgive yourself.”

A Few Other Points

A judge sentenced her to 30 years to life. And although many have some level of sympathy for Meagan Grunwald, some believe that she was not a naive child who was led astray but a willing participant in this crime spree.

  • Just as Jose Garcia Juaregui was dying, he asked to kiss his girlfriend one last time with his “dying breath,” according to New York Daily News.
  • Meagan’s mother was so distraught seeing her baby girl being led away in handcuffs that she had to be carried from the courtroom.

In reality, tonight’s Forbidden Dying For Love is about the love between two couples; Meagan Grunwald and Jose Angel Garcia Juaregui and Cory and Nan Wride.

Watch Forbidden Dying For Love On Investigation Discovery tonight at 10/9 p.m. Central. This week the Inquisitr informed you about another Bonnie and Clyde type of crime involving Hakeem Griffin White and Ashley Coleman.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTCXCptFKKo

[Featured Image by Spenser Heaps/AP Images]

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