Jury finds man guilty of murder 6 years after he used a gun during marijuana deal

Isaac Patton, 23, was found guilty on Friday of shooting and killing a man when he was 17, following a low-level drug deal.

Isaac Patton, 23, was found guilty on Friday of shooting and killing a man when he was 17, following a low-level drug deal. (Spenser Heaps, Deseret News)


Save Story
Leer en español

Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes

SALT LAKE CITY — A jury has found Isaac Patton guilty of murder, ending a six-year search for justice by the family of Tristen Mogadam, who was killed at 18-years-old during a low-level drug deal.

Mogadam was shot in his Magna driveway after Patton, then 17, bought marijuana from him in February 2017. Patton pulled out a gun and shot Mogadam in his back as he tried to run back to his home, according to the charges.

Police said Mogadam pushed Patton after he brandished a gun, and then another man with Patton said "blast him" before Mogadam's brother reported hearing three gunshots — one of which hit and killed Mogadam.

Patton, now 23, was found guilty of murder and aggravated robbery, both first-degree felonies; three counts of felony discharge of a firearm, a second-degree felony; and purchase or use of a firearm by a restricted person, a third-degree felony.

He told police, when questioned, that he believed Mogadam was a member of a rival gang.

Patton was initially placed in juvenile detention, after being charged as an adult, but was transferred to the Salt Lake County Jail less than a month later.

The jury reached its decision on the third day of the trial last week after about three hours of deliberation.

The jury choose "yes" when asked to decide if the felony firearm discharge counts were committed "to gain recognition or increase status with a criminal street gang" — approving gang enhancements for the charges.

Patton is scheduled to be sentenced on May 15.

One other man was charged in connection with Mogadam's death, but his charges were dismissed in February 2020 after prosecutors delayed the preliminary hearing multiple times and were still not ready to move forward with the case.

He was sentenced in July 2019 to up to five years in prison for assaulting an inmate in the Salt Lake County Jail, and now faces multiple pending charges from his time in incarceration, including assault of a prisoner, having a prohibited item, possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person and rioting.

Related stories

Most recent Police & Courts stories

Related topics

UtahPolice & CourtsSalt Lake County
Emily Ashcraft joined KSL.com as a reporter in 2021. She covers courts and legal affairs, as well as health, faith and religion news.

STAY IN THE KNOW

Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Subscribe to the KSL.com Trending 5.
By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

KSL Weather Forecast