A Springville family is grieving the loss of a loved one, while urgently seeking answers.
On July 14, 2025, Michael Stanley Ewing, 45, was found deceased in his car. The following September, police ruled his death a suicide. Many of Michael Ewing’s family members, most notably, younger brother James Ewing, believe there is more to the story, and have been seeking answers from authorities, while asking the public for help.
“They ruled the case … a suicide,” James Ewing said in a Facebook video. “That was back in September. It’s nearly January, and the case is still open in Springville City. … If it’s that cut and dry, why is the case still open? Our family has repeatedly asked Springville City to let us know if it’s only open for administrative purposes. … All I can tell you right now is that we’ve been confirmed that it is having an internal review, not through the police department, but through the city attorney.”
James Ewing put together a timeline spanning several years leading up to his brother’s death. The timeline has been posted on social media and a Change.org petition. In it, he outlines what he alleges were violations involving the Springville Police Department and its “failure to follow Utah domestic violence response protocols.”
James Ewing has been posting on a Facebook page dedicated to finding answers about the death of his brother under Justice4Michael. He said that he wants to find answers for the countless family members and community members who he says love Michael.
“Michael (Mike) cherished his children,” Michael’s mother Sharon Ewing wrote in a letter to Serve Daily. “Five of those children were his biological kids and five were his ‘bonus’ kids. … Mike loved these awesome kids (now mostly adults) to his dying day and will continue loving them for eternity.
“Michael’s most recent title is that of Papa!” she continued. “He loves his three grandchildren so much, and they love him. In the next few days, another little one is coming. Hopefully, Papa has got to know him already. It’s going to be hard for these kiddos to remember him because they are all so small. We, as his family, will do everything we can to keep his memory alive. They need to know and love him until they get to be in his loving arms again.”
Michael was also a son and brother, and is said to have “openly admitted that he was a ‘Mama’s Boy.’”
“Michael’s death has caused a huge hole in the Ewing family,” Sharon wrote. “He is gone from this earth. But because we believe in eternal families, we know we will see him again.”
Michael was largely known within the Springville community as a graphic designer at the family-owned business, Copies Plus Printing. “It was always a treat for people to visit with Michael for a few minutes in his office or at the front counter,” his mom said.
Michael was also a baseball and football coach for Springville High School, which is something that his mom said was one of his favorite titles.
“Some of the best times of his life were when he was privileged to coach baseball and football for Springville High School,” she said. “He absolutely loved the young men he coached and called them ‘his boys.’ Since his death, many of these ‘boys’ who are now adults, have told Michael’s family how much love and gratitude they have for him. They speak of his great influence in their lives. For Michael, it wasn’t just about sports and winning games, although winning was always the goal. Michael wanted these young men to learn who they were and to help them have the confidence to succeed in all areas of their lives. He was and probably still is proud to be a Springville Red Devil.”
More information on Michael Stanley Ewing and his family’s search for answers can be found on Facebook at Justice4Michael, or on Change.org under the title, “Immediate removal of Michael Stanley Ewing‘s case from Springville Police Department.”
