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STANSBURY PARK — Two men have been arrested in connection with the shooting death of a man whose body was found in sagebrush off of Interstate 80 in Tooele County.
Alejandro Manuel Moore, 30, was arrested for investigation of murder in the shooting death of 42-year-old Anthony Bracamonte, of Ogden.
On Monday, Moore was formally charged in 3rd District Court with murder and discharge of a firearm, first-degree felonies; obstructing justice, a second-degree felony; abuse of a dead body, a third-degree felony; and possession of a weapon with intent to assault, a class A misdemeanor.
David Tenis, 32, of West Valley City, was charged Monday with two counts of obstructing justice, a second-degree felony.
On Feb. 15, Bracamonte's body was found by a passing motorist on the west side of the freeway about 2 miles from the Grantsville turnoff. He had been shot multiple times. According to a police booking affidavit, 12 shell casings were found at the scene. Two shirts that appeared to be new were also recovered nearby.
Officers with the State Bureau of Investigation began retracing Bracamonte's steps and collected surveillance video from stores that he and Moore were at the day before Bracamonte's body was found, the affidavit states, including a store in West Valley City where Moore bought shirts that matched those found at the scene. Law enforcers learned that Bracamonte and Moore were friends, but they often fought when they drank and later made up.
On Saturday, Moore was spotted by police in St. George and was detained for questioning. He was informed that Bracamonte had been found dead.
"He did not seem surprised," agents noted in the affidavit. "Alex told agents that 'it was my gun that killed him.' He told agents that he was done. ... Agents told Alex that he was under arrest for murder. He said he understood his rights after being read (his Miranda rights). Alex did not answer questions but stated that it was crazy. Alex said, 'Don't trust anyone.'"
Agents then found Tenis and questioned him. He said he, Moore, Bracamonte and Moore's mother were driving to Wendover during the early morning hours of Feb. 12.
"During the trip, (Tenis) stated that Anthony became belligerent and was physically assaulting both he and Alex," according to his booking affidavit.
Tenis told police that they stopped the car and he and Moore began fighting Bracamonte along the side of the road. At some point during the confrontation, "(Tenis) said that Alex shot Anthony about five times. After Anthony went down, (he) said Alex stood over him, shooting him in the face about five more times," the affidavit states.
Moore, Moore's mother and Tenis then drove away and threw Bracamonte's phone out the window as they went home, according to police. Tenis said as they drove back, "he was told by Alex and Alex's mom that they all had to stick to the story that they had left Anthony on the side of I-80 after he had been inappropriate with Alex's mom and he must have taken the gun from the glove box of Alex's car," according to the affidavit.
The investigation into the incident remained active on Monday. Also on Monday, a judge ordered Moore, who is listed in court documents as homeless, to remain in the Tooele County Jail without the possibility of posting bail pending his first court hearing.
