Buried in the Backyard on Oxygen: When did Sharon Sant disappear?

Sharon Sant was a Southern Utah State College student who disappeared on August 1, 1985, while she was hitchhiking from Cedar City to her hometown, Fillmore. The 19-year-old's mutilated torso, with several parts missing, was discovered two weeks later in the Cove Fort rest area. The victim's body had been cut open and some of her organs had been removed.

The following year, two itinerant workers, George Wesley Hamilton and Robert Bott, were arrested after witnesses placed Sharon in the former's truck. The suspects later tried to pin the blame on one another.

George was convicted of second-degree murder after considerable physical evidence, including a beer bottle and other cans, found at the scene linked him to the crime. Meanwhile, Robert was never tried and was released from custody due to a lack of direct evidence connecting him to the murder.

Buried in the Backyard on Oxygen will revisit the decades-old horrific murder of Sharon Sant in an episode titled One of Our Own. The official synopsis states:

"When a promising forensics student is found mutilated on a lonely stretch of Utah highway, her sheriff's department colleagues will stop at nothing to deliver justice."

The all-new episode is scheduled to air on the channel this Saturday, August 18, 2023, at 8:00 pm ET.

Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of abuse. Readers' discretion is advised.

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Sharon Sant's mutilated body was discovered two weeks after she disappeared while hitchhiking to her hometown

According to Deseret News, 19-year-old Sharon Sant, a Southern Utah State College student, disappeared while hitchhiking from Cedar City to her hometown of Fillmore, where she was to attend a friend's funeral on August 1, 1985. She was last seen by one of her co-workers at 11:45 am local time but never arrived for the funeral service. She was reported missing on August 6.

The Utah Department of Transportation workers later found Sharon's mutilated torso in a shallow grave near an I-15 exit at Cove Fort, Millard County. The victim's hands, feet, breasts, head, and more body parts had been removed.

None of the missing body parts were ever recovered despite officials spending weeks combing the area. Near the gravesite, police found a wood-splitting maul covered in blood along with beer cans and bottles, among other crucial evidence.

The following January, two itinerant workers, George Wesley Hamilton and Robert Bott, were arrested and charged with first-degree murder and aggravated kidnapping after witnesses placed Sharon Sant in the former's truck. Eventually, both men started to talk and pin the blame on each other.

According to reports, the beer bottle found near Sharon's gravesite consisted of George's fingerprints. Prosecutors claimed that the same bottle was used to assault the 19-year-old.

The Deseret News report further stated that the second suspect, Robert, admitted to m*lesting Sharon and also confessed to dismembering her body. But due to a technical mistake made by the prosecution, his confession was ruled inadmissible and he later refused to testify against George.

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What happened to the suspects arrested in Sharon Sant's slaying?

In 1987, George Wesley Hamilton was convicted on reduced charges of second-degree murder as prosecutors couldn't prove that Sharon Sant was r*ped. Meanwhile, Robert Bott, who had been originally charged with murder, was released due to a lack of physical evidence connecting him to the crime. However, due to jury misconduct, the conviction was set aside and a re-trial was ordered.

During the second trial, in 1989, George was once again convicted of second-degree murder. He was later sentenced to life in prison. The convicted murderer unsuccessfully appealed his conviction on multiple occasions.

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Learn more about Sharon Sant's gruesome murder on Oxygen's Buried in the Backyard.