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 Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information.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.
WEST VALLEY CITY — Six people have been arrested in connection with a weekend gang-related homicide.
Late Saturday, 18-year-old Anthony Hernandez was walking with a group of four to five others near 3100 South and 4300 West when two vehicles pulled up to him. Words were exchanged between Hernandez and Armando Jose Majano, 19.
"The victim started to approach the passenger vehicle and Armando took out a handgun and fired the weapon at the victim, hitting the victim several times," a Salt Lake County Jail report states.
An estimated four to five shots were fired. Investigators later confirmed the shooting "was related to a long-standing gang rivalry," the report states.
"I think our investigation has led us to believe they knew who this guy was, and were determined to take him out," West Valley Police Sgt. Jason Hauer said.
Detectives do not believe anyone else in Hernandez's group was shot at.
West Valley police detectives began rounding up suspects immediately. Jose Carlos Salazar, 19, who goes by the moniker "Psycho," was arrested first on unrelated charges. During a search of his home, police found a .22-caliber rifle and a cellphone picture of him holding a .9mm handgun, a report states. Salazar allegedly told investigators he was a "habitual drug user" and in the United States illegally.
Hauer said an additional potential charge of aggravated murder will be reviewed with prosecutors for Salazar.
Late Monday night through Tuesday morning, investigators rounded up and arrested Majano; Juan Eduardo Cruz, 19; Diego Monfeda, 20; and Alejandro Argumeda, 21. All were booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of aggravated murder. Cruz and Majano were also arrested for investigation of possession of a firearm by a restricted person and obstruction of justice. Argumeda was also booked for investigation of obstruction of justice.
The sixth suspect, Ricardo Padilla, 26, was arrested about 1:45 p.m. after he returned to his home near 4000 West and 3500 South where police had served a search warrant the night before and continued to hold surveillance on.
"(Detectives) have been pretty much going nonstop the past two days," Hauer said.
Search warrants were served on residences and vehicles. Some weapons and marijuana were seized. The alleged murder weapon had not been recovered as of Tuesday. Both of the vehicles allegedly used at the shooting scene have been seized, Hauer said.
