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SALT LAKE CITY — Two brothers have been charged in connection with the shooting death of a 35-year-old man in Salt Lake City.
Oliver Spencer Avila, 23, was charged Monday in 3rd District Court with murder and discharge of a firearm causing serious injury, first-degree felonies; discharge of a firearm causing injury, obstructing justice and possession of a gun by a restricted person, second-degree felonies; and discharge of a firearm, a third-degree felony.
Julio Steven Cardona, 30, was charged with possession or transfer of a weapon by a restricted person, a second-degree felony.
On Feb. 1, Salt Lake police responded to a shooting at the Riverview Townhomes, 1665 S. Riverside Drive (1140 West). Guthrie Uland Serawop, 35, was taken to a local hospital in critical condition and later died from his injuries.
A witness told police two men whom she only knew as "Chino" and "Looney" had been been at the apartment and left before officers arrived, according to charging documents. Detectives learned that Cardona goes by the moniker "Chino" and has a brother, Avila, with the moniker "Looney."
"Video surveillance was obtained from inside the apartment which showed Cardona inside handling a gun. The video showed Avila enter the apartment and Cardona handed him the gun," the charges state. When Serawop arrived, he and Avila went outside. "Video surveillance outside showed the two men talking in the driveway by a car. The conversation appeared to get heated and turned physical with shoving and punching. Avila then pulled the gun out and started shooting at Serawop, nearly hitting (a witness) and Cardona, who were standing in the doorway."
When Cardona was arrested, he claimed that Avila, about a week earlier, "came home with the gun and hid it from their parents. Cardona said he found the gun and took it so Avila 'couldn't go cause trouble with it.' Cardona said on the day of the shooting, Avila found him at the apartment and asked him for the gun back, saying that people were looking for him. Cardona gave the gun to Avila and then Serawop came in the apartment 'aggressively' and 'looking for trouble,'" the charges state.
Avila fired five times, according to court documents. Serawop was hit three times and grazed by a fourth bullet, an autopsy determined.
