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SALT LAKE CITY — The common-law wife of a man gunned down in his driveway was ordered Thursday to stand trial in connection with his death.
Police detectives testified that the woman not only lied about having an affair, but also kept them from getting information on her lover, who eventually was charged with murder in the case.
Maria Marta Campusano, 24, was ordered to stand trial for obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, for allegedly delaying the police's ability to contact Jose Adrian Rodriguez-Ramirez.
Rodriguez-Ramirez and his roommate, Jose Alan Gallegos-Mendoza, 24, each were charged with murder, a first-degree felony, and obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, for the June 24 shooting of Juan Jose Rubio-Navaro, 32. Rodriguez-Ramirez was also charged with possession of a firearm by a restricted person, a third-degree felony.
Rubio-Navaro was sitting at the edge of his driveway at 545 N. New Star Drive (1785 West) waiting for a ride to work when a car with two people drove by and fired multiple shots. Rubio-Navaro died from two gunshots to the chest. Rodriguez-Ramirez, sitting in the passenger seat, fired the fatal shots while Gallegos-Mendoza drove, according to prosecutors.
Gallegos-Mendoza sold Rodriguez-Ramirez the gun used in the shooting and borrowed the vehicle used from another acquaintance, the charges state. After the shooting, police say the men threw the gun in the Jordan surplus canal.
Rubio-Navaro and Campusano had two sons together, ages 3 and 5.
Salt Lake police detective Cody Lougy testified that a neighbor told him Campusano had "a lover." He said the woman had detailed information as to what the man looked like, what he drove and how often the couple met up. But when Lougy asked Campusano about the allegations, she initially denied that she was having an affair.
"I asked her if she was seeing someone on the side, and she said no," Lougy said. "She said, ‘I have a friend named Adrian; I talk to him occasionally.' She said the last time she spoke to him was in December."
Campusano told police she didn't have Rodriguez-Ramirez's phone number, though she later admitted she had the number but had it saved under a different name to keep it from her husband. When Rodriguez-Ramirez and Gallegos-Mendoza were later arrested and interviewed, Lougy said Rodriguez-Ramirez owned up to his actions.
"They admitted they did do a drive-by shooting, and Adrian admitted the relationship with Marta," Lougy said. "He said they talk every day and he wanted to marry her." Rodriguez-Ramirez also apparently was involved in some conflict with Campusano's husband, the detective said.
"(Navaro and Rodriguez-Ramirez) had an argument," Lougy said. "Marta told him her husband was beating her, was abusive. (Rodriguez-Ramirez) thought that if he didn't shoot (Navaro) first, he would be injured. … Adrian believed Navaro knew about the relationship."
Lougy said Campusano was initially considered a "victim of terrible tragedy" because she was so hysterical and traumatized by her husband's death, but later detectives became suspicious. Lougy said Campusano withheld information from police about her relationship with Rodriguez-Ramirez, her level of contact with him and information on how to get in touch with him.
Campusano is scheduled for an arraignment Sept. 27.
E-mail: emorgan@desnews.com
