Draper drug deal with fake money led to killing, charges say

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DRAPER — A man accused of fatally shooting another man during a drug deal is now facing criminal charges.

Alexis Federico Marquez, 21, of Draper, was charged Thursday in 3rd District Court with murder, aggravated robbery, and two counts of discharge of a firearm causing serious injury, first-degree felonies; and discharge of a firearm causing injury, a second-degree felony.

On Aug. 11, 33-year-old Remey Rowland, of Salt Lake City, was found shot to death in the parking lot of the Heritage Apartments, 11715 S. State, about 1:20 a.m.

"It was later determined that Rowland was hit with four bullets, one of which only grazed his torso but the other three entered his stomach, chest and head. Rowland was deceased when officers arrived," according to charging documents.

On the opposite side of the parking lot, police found a car with the driver's door open.

"From the outside of the vehicle, detectives observed blood, money, and bullet cases strewn around the front passenger compartment," the charges state. During a more thorough search of the car's interior, "cocaine, fake currency, a bullet, and spent casings were recovered."

Using surveillance video from the area and information found on Rowland's cellphone, police identified Marquez as the gunman, the charges state. Investigators said they learned that Marquez lived at the apartment complex with his mother and had arranged to meet Rowley to conduct a drug deal.

Unified police officers set up surveillance around Marquez's apartment before obtaining arrest and search warrants.

"Officers served the warrants and took Marquez into custody after a lengthy standoff where he barricaded himself in a bathroom," the charges state.

When questioned, Marquez initially claimed he was not the gunman but knew the identity of the shooter, saying he was "a close friend of his," according to the charges. "Marquez then continually changed his story about what had happened."

Marquez eventually admitted giving Rowland $2,000 in counterfeit $100 bills and "tried to purchase cocaine with an insufficient amount of fake money," which made Rowland upset, the charges state. Marquez told police he saw Rowland reach for something by the driver's side door and thought he was grabbing a gun. That's when Marquez said he "busted him," shooting Rowland in the stomach, head and chest, the court documents allege.

Marquez pleaded guilty in December 2020 to two counts of discharge of a firearm, charges that were amended to second-degree felonies, according to court records. In that incident, Marquez shot a man in the leg in Sandy. He was given a suspended prison sentence and was placed on four years of probation. A warrant was issued for his arrest on July 6 accusing him of violating the conditions of his probation and was still active at the time of the shooting.

In January 2020, Marquez pleaded guilty to attempted drug possession with intent to distribute. He was also given a suspended prison sentence and placed on probation in that case.