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KEARNS — A man who police say is interfering with a homicide investigation by consistently changing his story is now facing a criminal charge.
Elmer Areiga Hernandez, 30, of Kearns, was charged Wednesday in 3rd District Court with obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony.
On Sept. 3, Unified police were called just before 8 a.m. to 4057 W. 4990 South "on reports of a full arrest with a male unconscious and not breathing," according to a police booking affidavit. Vincente Peralta-Figueroa, 25, was found deceased in a detached garage on the property.
But rather than suffering a heart attack, detectives quickly discovered Peralta-Figueroa had been shot in the chest.
Police say Peralta-Figueroa had been living at the home, where Hernandez also lived, for about a month. When investigators attempted to question Hernandez, however, he "changed his story multiple times," according to charging documents, and "has actively tried to impede the investigation."
On Sept. 6, a witness told police that Hernandez had come to his home early on Sept. 3 and was "very emotional." Hernandez allegedly told the witness that he, Peralta-Figueroa and another unidentified man with Hernandez had gotten into a fight. Hernandez claimed his friend was injured from fighting Peralta-Figueroa, the charges state. The witness told Hernandez he needed to take his friend to the hospital and call police.
Instead, police say Hernandez drove off. He was arrested on Sept. 6. His friend, the suspected gunman, had not been arrested as of Wednesday.
Detectives looked through text messages on Peralta-Figueroa's phone while gathering evidence, and reported finding messages between him and Hernandez "in which Hernandez told Vincente that he didn't want him 'messing around' with his girlfriend anymore. Hernandez told Vincente that he didn't want Vincente texting her anymore either. Hernandez told Vincente that this would be the last time he warned him and that if it didn't stop, things would end up bad for Vincente," according to the charges.
