Charges: Man killed in violent ambush robbery was trying to sell PlayStation 4

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SALT LAKE CITY — Two 18-year-olds were charged Monday in the shooting death of a man who police say met up with his attackers to sell them a PlayStation 4.

Among several other offenses, Romeo Alyss Alvarez is charged with aggravated murder, and Anthony Glen Taylor is charged with murder in 3rd District Court — both first-degree felonies — in the Dec. 27 killing of Sebastian Salgado, 19.

Court documents say the two men met with Salgado in his car at 4500 South and 700 East with the intention of robbing him.

Alvarez and Taylor got into the back seat of the vehicle and said they needed to go to 291 E. Browning Ave. to get money to pay Salgado, charges state. After arriving there, Alvarez pulled out a gun and demanded that Salgado give up his belongings, according to court documents.

A woman who had accompanied Salgado told police that "Salgado turned around in his seat and attempted to grab the gun," charges state.

A struggle inside the car ensued. The woman told police she saw Taylor hitting Salgado and then heard gunfire.

Taylor then allegedly dragged the woman out of the car, pushed her to the ground, punched her with brass knuckles and kicked her. Alvarez pointed the gun at her, then pointed it at a woman who was driving by and yelling at them from her vehicle, charges state. The driver left the area and called 911.

Soon afterward, Alvarez and Taylor fled with items they had stolen from Salgado, according to court documents. After they left, Salgado's female companion approached him "and saw blood all over," charges state.

A police officer was the first emergency responder on scene. He found Salgado "slumped backward over the center console" with gunshot wounds to his chest and arm, court documents say.

The officer attempted to perform life-saving first aid, but Salgado was pronounced dead within minutes. An autopsy concluded Salgado was shot at close range.

Investigators found a wallet in the back seat containing Alvarez's ID, court documents say. Officers soon located Alvarez at his girlfriend's home and arrested him, police reported. The woman who was with Salgado later identified Alvarez as the shooter when shown a police photo lineup.

Police learned that Salgado had met with the men "to sell a PlayStation 4 via an online advertisement," charges state. An examination of Salgado's phone showed he had been communicating with a phone number belonging to Taylor, according to Salt Lake police.

Police publicly released a photo of Taylor as part of their investigation, and he turned himself in on Dec. 29.

Alvarez is also charged with aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony; discharge of a firearm with injury and obstructing justice, both second-degree felonies; and two counts of aggravated assault, a third-degree felony.

Taylor is additionally charged with first-degree felony aggravated robbery, second-degree felony obstructing justice and aggravated assault, a third-degree felony.

Both men have violent juvenile criminal histories, the Deseret News learned last month.

Alvarez, of West Jordan, was charged in connection with eight incidents since 2009, including two felonies filed against him in 2014 for aggravated assault involving an injury and marijuana production.

Taylor, whose last address is unknown, was involved in four prior criminal incidents beginning at age 16, according to juvenile court records. He was charged in March with first-degree felony aggravated robbery in connection with a carjacking, and charged in April with third-degree felony assault by a prisoner. Both cases were resolved prior to the alleged Dec. 27 murder.

Both men are being held in the Salt Lake County Jail.