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WEST JORDAN — Two 16-year-old boys have been charged as adults in connection the gang-related killing of a man who was shot while driving on Redwood Road.
Zahid Cruz, of West Jordan, and Kevin Hernandez-Trinidad, of Sandy, were each charged Thursday in 3rd District Court with murder, a first-degree felony, and numerous other charges. If convicted, each boy also faces enhanced penalties because the killing was gang-related, according to court documents.
On May 9 about 9:45 p.m., police responded to a crash at 7800 S. Redwood, but quickly discovered that the driver who crashed into the back of another vehicle had been shot. Twelve bullet holes were found in the passenger side of 19-year-old Caesar Manenche's vehicle. Manenche was shot in his head and neck and died shortly after being transported to a local hospital, according to charging documents.
Several witnesses told police they heard gunshots shortly before Manenche hit another car.
Before his death, police say Manenche had had conversations with his mother about Cruz and Hernandez-Trinidad and the type of car they drove. Maneneche told his mother that the two "had made numerous threats to cause harm to Cesar" and had previously threatened him with guns, the charges state. The mother also stated she saw the duo's vehicle driving through her apartment complex earlier that day.
Manenche's girlfriend also told investigators that he had been having problems with Cruz and Hernandez-Trinidad for two to three years because he had left their gang, charging documents state.
"Cesar would receive Snapchat messages from Hernandez telling Cesar to go outside or meet Hernandez somewhere. When Cesar would visit his mother, Hernandez and Cruz would be waiting in the parking lot," the charges say.
According to witnesses, Cruz and Hernandez-Trinidad spotted Manenche driving near 9000 S. Redwood on May 9, and immediately put on masks and began following him. Cruz, who was driving, pulled up next to Manenche's car, "placed his arm with the handgun out of the window and started shooting at Cesar's vehicle," according to charging documents.
At least a dozen shots were fired.
On May 10, police served a warrant on Cruz's house and seized a gun from his room, according to the charges. Text messages retrieved from the suspects' phones allegedly talked about specific details of the shooting.
"Videos and messages secured from cellphone downloads showed (them) discussing specific details about the shooting and physically handling the 9mm handgun in question," according to the charges.
In addition to murder, Cruz was also charged Thursday with shooting someone causing serious injury, a first-degree felony; seven counts of illegal discharge of a firearm and obstructing justice, both second-degree felonies; and altering the serial number of gun, a class A misdemeanor. Hernandez-Trinidad was also charged with obstructing justice and possession of a gun by a restricted person, both second-degree felonies.
