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SALT LAKE CITY — A man convicted of murder in the 2010 shooting death of his ex-wife's boyfriend was sentenced to prison Friday.
Joshua James Montoya, 29, was ordered to spend 15 years to life in prison for murder, a first-degree felony, and one to 15 years for obstructing justice, a second-degree felony, in the death of Amos Pacheco, 25.
Third District Judge Deno Himonas ordered the sentences to run concurrent to one another. He also said he would recommend that Montoya be given credit for time served, according to court records.
The shooting occurred March 5, 2010, in front of a house near 5700 South and 4500 West. Pacheco and Montoya's ex-wife had just dropped off her three children, ages 9, 8 and 4, to visit Montoya, their father, police said.
The children went into the house and Montoya came out to the SUV parked on the street and confronted his ex-wife and Pacheco. Police believe the two men argued before Montoya pulled out a gun and shot Pacheco, who was still sitting in the passenger seat of the car.
- Murder, a first-degree felony
- Obstructing justice, a second-degree felony
At his trial in April, Montoya said he shot Pacheco in self-defense during a scuffle to gain control of a gun that he said Pacheco was carrying. Prosecutors countered that Montoya had been the aggressor throughout the incident and that his DNA was on the gun while Pacheco's was not.
