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WEST JORDAN — A Midvale man charged with murdering two men, including his uncle, has been ordered to stand trial.
Third District Judge Charlene Barlow decided Wednesday that there is sufficient evidence to support the charges against Alexander Leroy Vasquez, 25, following a two-day preliminary hearing. Vasquez is charged with aggravated murder, murder, and aggravated kidnapping, first-degree felonies; and felony discharge of a firearm and two counts of possession of a dangerous weapon, second-degree felonies, in connection with a Aug. 5, 2012, shooting.
Both Simon Vasquez, 40, and Paul Giovale, 41, died as a result of gunshot wounds sustained in the shooting, which occurred in a Sandy garage at 80 E. 8640 South. Simon Vasquez and a few others were in the garage when Alex Vasquez arrived with two others, according to court testimony given during the first part of the hearing in May.
When Simon Vasquez and his girlfriend, Cindy James, went to leave, she testified that Alex Vasquez pulled out a gun and said no one could go. James said Alex Vasquez ordered his uncle, Simon Vasquez, to pat down one of the men in the garage, but Simon Vasquez didn't want any part of the situation. The man (who prosecutors say was Giovale) went to pull out a gun, though, and James said the man then shot Simon Vasquez in the neck.
- Aggravated murder
- Murder
- Aggravated kidnapping
- Felony discharge of a firearm
- Two counts of possession of a dangerous weapon
Simon Vasquez was not immediately killed but was paralyzed and relied on medical intervention to sustain his life. While in the hospital, he told police the incident had something to do with a rental car that Alex Vasquez's brother, Andrew, was alleged to have stolen "with large amounts of drugs inside," but was returned without the drugs.
Simon Vasquez told police that Alex Vasquez was the first to pull out a gun. He also said there were two men with guns: Alex Vasquez and Giovale.
Simon Vasquez eventually made the decision to be taken off life support, but the death was still classified as a homicide because the neck injury made him medically unstable, according to Dr. Julie Schrader, assistant Utah medical examiner.
Alex Vasquez has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. He is scheduled to appear again in court Aug. 6.
