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SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake woman will serve at least 15 years in prison for shooting and killing her girlfriend while the girlfriend was trying to get away on a bike in 2021.
Third District Judge Heather Brereton sentenced Patrice Ann Winward, 33, to 15 years and up to life in prison for murder, a first-degree felony.
At 3:30 a.m. on Aug. 17, 2021, Winward and her girlfriend, Nicole Carter, 31, were riding bikes near 900 W. South Temple. Witnesses told police Winward and Carter had a "heated verbal argument," according to charging documents.
When Carter tried to bike away, Winward fired a gun in her direction several times, hitting her in the torso and killing her, according to a statement from Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill.
Winward told detectives she was "shooting multiple shots toward the victim in order to prevent her from leaving," according to a police booking affidavit.
Winward heard Carter scream out and then upon approach, realized she was injured and observed Carter go unconscious, court documents state.
When police arrived, Winward was performing CPR on Carter, according to charging documents. Winward told police she had to go home to attend to a "medical emergency" and then left, but she later admitted to lying about the emergency, Gill said.
Winward gave the gun used in the murder to a child to hide in a storm drain, Gill said. The gun was later recovered by detectives.
Investigators found seven shell casings at the scene. An autopsy determined that Carter was shot once in the torso.
"Ms. Winward not only tried to avoid responsibility for this crime by giving her gun to someone else to hide but also by fleeing the scene shortly after police arrived," Gill said. "The sentence imposed helps ensure Ms. Winward is held accountable for the intentional, criminal act of violence that took Ms. Carter's life."
Several charges against Winward were dropped in a plea deal, including possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person and obstructing justice, both second-degree felonies; and six counts of felony discharge of a firearm, all third-degree felonies.
In charging documents, prosecutors said Winward has "a significant criminal history in Utah." She pleaded guilty to forgery in August 2016 and was sentenced to up to five years in prison, was paroled in 2017 but was sent back to the Utah State Prison in 2018.
"We mourn the death of Ms. Carter and hope that the resolution of this case will help her loved ones begin to heal," Gill added.
Domestic violence resources
Help for people in abusive relationships can be found by contacting:
- Utah Domestic Violence Coalition: Utah's confidential statewide, 24-hour domestic violence hotline at 1-800-897-LINK (5465)
- YWCA Women in Jeopardy program: 801-537-8600
- Utah's statewide child abuse and neglect hotline: 1-855-323-DCFS (3237)
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
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Gabrielle Shiozawa
