Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — With three plea deals rejected, the case of a well-known Lee Mart clerk's shooting death moves toward a trial.
Plea deals to three men charged with murder in the shooting death of David Marsh, 62, were withdrawn Monday as preliminary proceedings were scheduled for later this year. Martin Castillo, Juan Andres Zalazar and Alexis Alan Garcia each have been charged with murder and aggravated robbery, first-degree felonies.
Castillo, 20, and Garcia, 20, rejected the state's offer to plead guilty to reduced charges of manslaughter and robbery, both second-degree felonies, prosecutor Mathew Janzen noted in court Monday. Zalazar, 24, turned down the chance to plead guilty to murder, a first-degree felony, while the aggravated robbery charge was dropped. The deals have now been withdrawn.
Marsh, a fixture at the Murray neighborhood market, 5909 S. 700 West, was shot March 18 when two men rushed in to rob the store just before it opened. Surveillance footage recorded as the men, whom police identified as Garcia and Zalazar, ran through the door and around to the cash register behind the counter, where Marsh handed over the cash. As they hurried back out the door, Marsh threw the empty cash drawer at the men, hitting Zalazar.
Related:
Court document reveals alleged Lee Mart shooter
One of the accomplices in an aggravated robbery turned deadly at a Murray convenience store wanted credit for pulling the trigger, according to new information filed Thursday in 3rd District Court.Zalazar turned and fired, hitting Marsh, according to charging documents. Marsh died from the gunshot five days later.
Castillo is believed to have waited outside, possibly with a fourth person who has not been identified or charged. Murray police indicated Monday that reports of a fourth person involved in the robbery have yet to be confirmed.
Court documents indicate Castillo falsely told others he was the person who shot Marsh because he wanted to gain access to a local gang. Garcia and Zalazar already belong to the gang, according to charging documents, and the three men set out to rob a convenience store to initiate Castillo into the same gang.
A two-day preliminary hearing for the three men charged in the case has been scheduled for December. Prosecutors noted that negotiations for different plea deals could continue until that time.
