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WEST JORDAN — A Taylorsville man wanted for attempted murder, aggravated kidnapping and other felony offenses was arrested Wednesday evening by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Michael Alvillar, 35, was detained by the agency's Violent Fugitive Apprehension Strike Force after it surrounded a West Jordan home near 6300 South and 5000 West. Alvillar sent out a pit bull to attack police, and it latched onto an officer's arm before the officer shot and killed the animal, according to the Marshals Service.
Other details about Alvillar's arrest and encounter with police were not immediately available.
Federal authorities were searching for Alvillar for seven felony warrants, the agency said. He was most recently wanted for the alleged attempted murder of his ex-girlfriend at her apartment in Pleasant Grove.
On Jan. 12, Alvillar visited the woman and asked her to take him in for a few days because he needed food and shelter, according to charging documents.
The woman, who has a 2-year-old daughter with Alvillar, apparently relented and allowed him to stay. However, after she found out days later that Alvillar allegedly had drugs with him, she called police.
Responding officers were unable to wake Alvillar and transported him to the American Fork Hospital for treatment. When he was released two days later, he went home to the apartment of his ex-girlfriend. The woman told Alvillar on Jan. 19 that she would help him find another place to stay, but that he was no longer welcome at her apartment, court documents state.
Alvillar then allegedly began to attack the woman and hold her inside the apartment. According to charging documents, he tried to smother the woman by putting his hand over her face, and several times told her he was going to kill her and then himself. He allegedly later tried to smother his ex-girlfriend with a pillow and then a garbage bag, and smashed her phone to stop her from calling police, charges state.
After persuading Alvillar to leave the apartment to get a cigarette, the woman escaped to a neighbor's apartment, according to court documents. Alvillar allegedly evaded capture by stealing an idling Domino's Pizza delivery driver's car about a half mile away.
Police eventually traced Alvillar's path to Salt Lake County, but weren't able to track him down until Wednesday.
Charges
For the alleged attack, Alvillar is charged in 4th District Court with attempted murder and aggravated kidnapping, both first-degree felonies; theft, a second-degree felony; and damaging or interrupting a communication device, a class B misdemeanor. There is currently no initial court date set in his case.
Criminal history
According to court records, Alvillar's extensive criminal history in Utah stretches back to the late 1990s and includes guilty pleas to aggravated robbery, aggravated assault, failure to stop at the command of police, burglary, violating a protective order, attempted prescription forgery and joy riding.
Contributing: Sam Penrod
