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KEARNS — A Kearns man is dead and his girlfriend is in custody following an early morning shooting.
Sandra Perez, 21, was arrested and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of murder, aggravated assault resulting in serious injury, assault and criminal mischief
Dominique Vigil, 21, and Perez, who were living together along with Vigil's mother, had been arguing earlier in the evening and the argument continued in a bedroom at their residence, in the area of 5500 South and 4200 West, said Unified Police Sgt. Melody Cutler. The mother says Perez also hit her when she tried to stop Perez from hitting her son, according to a police affidavit.
About 1:15 a.m., the mother heard "several rounds" of gunfire coming from the bedroom, Cutler said.
The mother told police she went into the room and saw her son fall to the floor, the affidavit states. She claims Perez then "pointed the gun at her and pulled the trigger" but the gun did not fire. Perez then left the residence and the mother called 911, according to police.
"(She) stated her son, Dominique Vigil and his girlfriend, Sandra Perez, were arguing over her son's alleged infidelity," according to a jail booking affidavit. "Upon arrival officers located Dominique who appeared to be deceased from several gunshot wounds." The mother told police she heard three shots.
Multiple agencies, including officers with police K-9s, conducted an extensive search of the area, Cutler said. Detectives then got a tip that Perez may have gone into a nearby convenience store and was then picked up by a man in a car. After checking store surveillance video, Cutler said it was confirmed that Perez left in the vehicle.
That vehicle was tracked to a home in West Valley City where Perez was found with a relative. The affidavit states that Perez also called 911 and reported what had happened.
When questioned by detectives, "Sandra said she and Dominique had a relationship where they would fight (and) sometimes the fights became physical. Sandra informed detectives that she had found Dominique was using an old social media account and she confronted him about it, believed he was being unfaithful. Sandra said the argument stopped and then she continued it. Sandra said she took Dominique's things and threw it, and he threw things at her car," the affidavit states.
Perez said the confrontation then became physical.
"Sandra said she was defending herself from Dominique and (his mom) and she ran to their bedroom and Dominique was right behind her. Sandra said she believed Dominique was going for the gun which he had used to threaten her with in the past. Sandra said she and Dominique both reached for the gun, but she got it first. Sandra said she must've had her finger on the trigger already and when she turned the gun towards Dominique, it went off and Sandra said she thinks the gun went off three times," according to the affidavit.
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
