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MAGNA — Police have arrested a man who they believe has been lying to investigators about what he knows regarding an unsolved 8-year-old homicide near the Great Saltair.
Jesse Mascaro, 35, of Salt Lake City, was charged Wednesday in 3rd District Court with obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony.
On Feb. 11, 2016, the body of Chandler Michael Cooper, 22, who lived in the Holladay-Millcreek area, was found by hikers near a trail by Saltair, a few hundred yards from the intersection of the North Temple frontage road and 11500 West.
Investigators believe someone drove Cooper to that location, where he was "basically executed," said Unified police detective Brandon Moore. "He was shot twice, once in the face and once in the chest, and then left there."
Two shell casings were recovered at the scene, but no gun and no arrests were made. Moore took over the investigation nearly a year ago and began reworking it.
"Officers interviewed several of (Cooper's) associates, including Jesse Mascaro. During a 2016 interview, Mascaro was questioned regarding an individual who would become a suspect in the investigation. When the investigator asked Mascaro, '… So you don't know (suspect) very well?' Mascaro responded, 'I don't know who the hell that is. Mascaro said he may have met the suspect once or twice but, 'I don't really know who he is or what he's about or, or anything,'" according to charging documents filed Wednesday.
But Moore discovered Mascaro and the suspect, who has not been publicly identified, exchanged several calls and messages between Feb. 9 and Feb. 10, 2016. The two were employed by the same company at one time, charging documents state.
On Aug. 4, Mascaro was questioned again.
"Mascaro said he didn't remember the suspect, adding, 'I only met him once I think.' Detective Moore asked whether Mascaro had ever texted or called the suspect. Mascaro stated, 'I've never talked to him. I don't even — I don't have no numbers. None of that,'" charging documents state. "Mascaro repeated that he'd never heard of the suspect. 'I don't know who he is at all. Like, I've never talked to him, none of that. So, I don't — I don't know the dude really. I've never, like, I only seen him that one time.'"
When presented with copies of his phone records from 2016, Mascaro contended, "I didn't have a phone" and "I'm not a killer though," according to charging documents.
After an arrest warrant was issued Wednesday morning, Unified police located Mascaro and picked him up a few hours later.
Related:
Police look to solve 2016 'execution' killing of man near Saltair
Unified police hope recently collected DNA will help them solve the 2016 killing of a man near Saltair.
