A mother of three, Autumn Ray Christiansen Mercado, tragically died in Utah on January 13, 2025, under suspicious circumstances. Her body was discovered at the bottom of the stairs in her home in West Jordan, a suburb of Salt Lake City, after a coworker requested a welfare check. The coworker had been unable to contact her for an extended period and was aware of her history with domestic violence.
When law enforcement arrived at the residence, they immediately noticed signs that raised concerns. The husband, Carlos Mercado, answered the door and informed the officers that he had been about to call them. However, officers observed that he appeared intoxicated, had difficulty maintaining his balance, and there were multiple open alcohol containers visible throughout the home. During the initial interview, Carlos Mercado explained that he and his wife had been drinking the night before. He said he fell asleep around 4 or 5 a.m., and when he woke up, he found his wife lying at the foot of the stairs. He believed she had fallen due to vertigo, attempted to wake her, but was unable to. After covering her with a blanket, he left the house to buy more beer from a nearby gas station, leaving their two young children, aged 1 and 4, alone inside the home.
Surveillance footage from the gas station showed Carlos Mercado shopping about an hour after discovering his wife’s body. Police noted that the body displayed signs of rigor mortis, indicating that Autumn had been dead for several hours before being found that morning. The timeline raised further questions about his actions, particularly given that he had left the children unattended in the house during this time.
As a result, Carlos Mercado was arrested and now faces charges of failure to report a death and child abandonment. He has a history of domestic violence, including a 2019 conviction for felony aggravated assault against Autumn, as well as charges in 2021 and 2022 for assault and domestic violence in the presence of a child. While some of the charges were dismissed, the history of abuse raised additional concerns about his involvement in his wife’s death.
Autumn Mercado was remembered by her family and friends for her radiant personality, love for gymnastics, and her deep sense of compassion. She was a registered nurse who had aspirations of becoming a nurse practitioner. Her obituary painted a picture of a woman with boundless energy, a competitive spirit, and a heart full of love. From a young age, she was passionate about helping others, and she frequently expressed a desire to assist those in need, including feeding the homeless and supporting individuals without a place to live.
Her sister shared fond memories of Autumn, recalling how she was always looking for ways to make a positive impact on the world around her. The loss of Autumn has left a profound impact on her family, who described her as a loving daughter, sister, and mother. A GoFundMe campaign was launched to help provide for the three children she left behind and to cover funeral expenses.
The case has raised several questions about the circumstances surrounding Autumn’s death, particularly regarding the actions of her husband in the hours after discovering her body. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities continue to look into the details of the events leading up to her tragic death. Meanwhile, the community mourns the loss of a woman who was known for her kindness and her dedication to others, as her family and friends come to terms with the devastating loss.
