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MOAB — A Colorado man who was convicted last month of murder in the shooting death of another man in 2018 was sentenced Tuesday to serve at least 32 years in prison, according to court records.
Omar Guerro, 31 — also know as Martin Armenta Verduzco Lopez or Irvin Martin Verduzco-Armenta — of Durango, Colorado, was ordered in 7th District Court Tuesday to serve two sentences of 16 years to life in the Utah State Prison. He is to serve the sentences consecutively.
The sentences are for Guerro's convictions of murder and aggravated kidnapping in the fatal shooting of Edgar Luna Najera on Oct. 28, 2018.
The court also ordered Guerro to serve one to 15 years for possession of a firearm by a restricted person, but that sentence was to run concurrently with the other sentences. In addition, he was told to pay $3,400 in restitution.
On May 31, a jury found Guerro guilty of aggravated kidnapping and possession of a firearm by a restricted person. Guerro was quickly named a person of interest and later a suspect in Najera’s death, which occurred in a mobile home located at 250 Walnut Lane. He was charged two days after the shooting and arrested in Arizona following a police chase on Nov. 1, 2018.
A witness told police they saw Guerro shoot Najera dead with multiple gunshots, according to charging documents.
Guerro’s legal troubles aren’t over in Utah’s court system, however. Court records show he was charged Friday in 7th District Court with aggravated assault by a prisoner, a second-degree felony, in connection with a June 5 attack while in jail awaiting his sentence in the murder case. Guerro repeatedly hit and kicked another person in jail, according to charging documents, causing the man to have a fractured nose, a “large” laceration near his right eye and other undisclosed injuries.
A deputy wrote in an affidavit filed in court that he found the injured inmate, and then reviewed security footage that showed a man identified as Guerro attacking the man. The injured inmate was evlauated and treated at Moab Regional Hospital.
Records show Guerro made his initial appearance in the case Tuesday, the same day he was sentenced in the other case.
