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SALT LAKE CITY — A man who reportedly had to break into his own apartment to remove people who had locked him out has been arrested for investigation of murder.
About 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Leroy Daniel Valdez, 34, arrived at his apartment, 1329 N. Redwood Road, "to remove some people that were there. He had to force entry into his own apartment," said Salt Lake Police Sgt. Brandon Shearer.
The lights inside were turned off, but Valdez "suspected occupants were still inside, according to a Salt Lake County Jail report. Valdez went to his roommate's bedroom window, kicked it in, and heard a woman scream either out of fear or surprise, the report states.
He then went back to the front door and with a gun in his hand, kicked it in, according to the report.
Once he broke into his apartment, a struggle ensued inside, and at least one shot was fired, resulting in the death of Kenonren Goodman, 33, Shearer said.
Valdez told police he was immediately assaulted by a larger man as soon as he went into the apartment and his gun discharged as he attempted to use both his hands to push the man off him, the report states.
A neighbor who heard the shot called 911. Valdez was gone when officers arrived. But Shearer said he later returned to the residence to turn himself in. Investigators who arrested him found methamphetamine in his pocket, he said.
Shearer said there were still several outstanding questions on Sunday, including whether Valdez knew Goodman, how many people were in the apartment, how they got into the apartment, what they were doing in the apartment or whether Valdez knew any of the people there.
A weapon was recovered from the scene, but Shearer did not know Sunday if any other evidence was seized from the apartment.
Valdez was convicted of DUI in 2014 but has no other significant criminal history in Utah, according to court records.
Goodman was convicted last week of aggravated assault and sentenced to probation. According to court records, he was arrested after dressing in a clown costume with a clown mask outside a Salt Lake County restaurant on Oct. 6 and chased a restaurant employee with a two-by-four, according to court records.
