Estimated read time: 1-2 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 Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information.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.
Sandra Yi reportingA suspected killer in a 10-year-old murder case has never been found. The victim's family hopes to change that with new publicity.
If you drive northbound on I-15 near 3900 South, you may have seen a billboard with the suspect's picture.
His name is Arturo Munguia. He also goes by the name Jessi Vega. He is a suspect in the 1998 shooting death of his girlfriend, Tricia Beristain.
Beristain's sister, Laura Beristain, says Vega's friend identified him as the shooter, but he hasn't been seen since.
Vega had been in Utah for about nine months and has family in Chicago.
The family had an idea to put up the suspect's picture and description on a billboard, and the advertising company donated the billboard space.
They hope it will lead to an arrest. Laura Beristain says, "We just have to go every holiday without her, and he's probably with his family enjoying his holiday. So we just want him to go so my mom can be at peace with this."
She says her sister had dated Vega for about six months. In November of 1998, Vega's friend drove the three of them up Big Cottonwood Canyon. Beristain was shot several times and died along the road in Big Cottonwood Canyon. Vega's friend told police the shooting was motivated by jealousy.
The family is offering a $10,000 reward in this case. If you have any information, call the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office at 743-7000.
