- Esteban Galvez, 20, pleaded guilty to murder in a 2023 West Valley shooting.
- He shot Brian Torres-Hernandez, 21, after a confrontation involving his ex-girlfriend.
- Galvez faces additional charges; his sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 7.
SALT LAKE CITY — A Magna man pleaded guilty to firing multiple shots and killing a man who was walking with his ex-girlfriend in West Valley City.
Brian Torres-Hernandez, 21, was walking with his cousin, the man's former girlfriend, on Sept. 15, 2023, when he was shot and killed after a verbal argument.
Officers found Torres-Hernandez lying on a driveway between vehicles with multiple gunshot wounds to his torso, and 13 shell casings were found nearby.
Esteban Roberto Galvez, 20, pleaded guilty to murder and felony discharge of a firearm, first-degree felonies, and aggravated assault, a third degree felony, on June 12, as part of a plea deal. In exchange for his pleas, prosecutors agreed to dismiss five counts of felony discharge of a firearm, a first-degree felony, and one count of possession of a firearm as a restricted person, a second-degree felony.
Galvez's former girlfriend had returned from work with Torrez-Hernandez when Galvez came toward them, pointed his gun at the woman, then shot Torrez-Hernandez, according to charging documents.
Galvez told witnesses he went to get more ammunition to fire at his ex-girlfriend as well, but her family came out of the door, so he left instead.
The plea deal also addressed three additional criminal cases: Galvez also pleaded guilty to stalking and violation of a protective order, third-degree felonies, and assault by a prisoner, a class A misdemeanor.
Galvez admitted to sending multiple messages to his ex-girlfriend in the month before the killing and to sending a letter from the jail. He also admitted to hitting another inmate at the jail.
He will be sentenced on Aug. 7.
Kimberly Samantha Munoz, 32, of West Valley City, is facing a charge of obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, based on allegations that she helped Galvez avoid capture after the killing. She contacted Galvez to purchase drugs, and she drove him to another house so he would not need to deal with the consequences, the charges state.
