Estimated read time: 2-3 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 Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information.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.
WEST JORDAN — Two people wanted in connection with the killing of a West Jordan man have been arrested in Mexico.
Jesus Molina, 23, and Breaaunah Huff, 22, were arrested Monday in Tijuana, Mexico, according to West Jordan police. They are wanted in connection with the Nov. 1 shooting death of Dan Zuniga-Guzman, 22, whose body was found in the street near 6700 South and 4800 West.
"This week Mexican police officials, who have been working with our detectives and the federal government, captured them without incident. They are now back on U.S. soil and will be brought back to Utah to face justice. They have been charged in connection with the murder," police said in a prepared statement.
According to police, Molina is charged in 3rd District Court with murder and obstruction of justice, both first-degree felonies, while Huff is charged with obstruction of justice. But those charges were sealed while authorities worked to track down the couple.
The shooting was the result of a verbal argument that escalated, said West Jordan police detective JC Holt.
Zuniga-Guzman went out on the night of Oct. 31 with some of his co-workers, according to police. His mother last saw him alive at 8:30 p.m. Investigators learned that Zuniga-Guzman was a friend of Molina's brother, who lived close to him.
Zuniga-Guzman, Molina and Huff were together that night and had gotten into an argument. The group was dropping Zuniga-Guzman off at his house at the end of the night when the argument continued, Holt said.
That's when Zuniga-Guzman spit in Huff's face, enraging Molina who pulled out a gun and shot him, according to Holt.
Neighbors who heard the commotion looked out their windows and originally thought there had been a car crash, according to the original police reports.
Investigators believe the couple fled to Tijuana where Molina had family, Holt said, though they didn't know Molina well and were unaware that he was wanted.
Based on information provided by an undisclosed individual, police were able to gather information leading their search to Mexico, he said.
Holt expects the couple to be extradited back to Utah in the next week or two.
