Triple Murder Suspect Charged

Triple Murder Suspect Charged


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Samantha Hayes reportingMINA HERNANDEZ TORRES/WIFE OF VICTIM: "EVEN IF THEY GIVE HIM A HUNDRED YEARS, THEY WAY HE DID IT WAS HORRIBLE"

The man accused of killing three people early Saturday morning at a gas station, is formally charged with murder. But, he may have already skipped town. . Police today filed formal murder and kidnapping charges, against Luis Alberto Salinas.

Homicide detectives say a Delta Airlines clerk spotted Luis Alberto Salinas buying a ticket to Mexico City, just hours after the shooting.

MINA HERNANDEZ TORRES/WIFE OF VICTIM: "WHEN THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A HISPANIC PERSON I THOUGHT ''OH GOD, I HOPE HE DOESN'T WANT TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY, I HOPE ITS NOT TOO LATE"

Mina Torres wants justice for her late husband, Aristeo, and the other two victims he was with that night, Lorie Roberta Gurule and Juan Alberto Ruiz. The three were shot to death inside an SUV waiting at this gas station.

MINA:" TO ME HE IS A HORRIBLE MONSTER THAT'S ALL I CAN THINK BECAUSE HE DID NOT KNOW MY HUSBAND."

Police say Salinas did know the two people who drove him to the gas station that night, they left Midvale to meet Salinas' estranged girlfriend, Gurule, at the 7-11 and planned to follow her to a party.

But police say the young woman didn't know Salinas was coming, turns out he had been stalking her.

SAMANTHA HAYES/EYEWITNESS NEWS: "DETECTIVES SAY AFTER SALINAS SHOT THE THREE VICTIMS HE TURNED THE GUN ON THE TWO EYEWITNESSES AND THREATENED TO KILL THEM IF THEY DIDN'T DRIVE HIM BACK TO HIS CAR."

Because of that, Salinas is also charged with aggravated kidnapping.

KENT MORGAN/SALT LAKE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: "THE MORE SERIOUS THE CASE, THE MORE EFFORT IS PUT INTO IT"

And it will take considerable effort to prosecute Salinas because he is most likely not even in the country.

Kent Morgan, Salt Lake County District Attorney:"MEXICO WILL NOT ALLOW THE EXTRADITION OF PEOPLE WANTED IN THE UNITED STATES IF THEY ARE SUBJECT TO THE DEATH PENALTY AND WE ARE NOT LIKELY TO CHANGE OUR OPINION ON WHETHER THEY SHOULD BE CHARGED WITH THE DEATH PENALTY BASED ON WHERE THEY FLEE TO."

Prosecutors will alert federal authorities for help in returning Salinas to the United States. They say by resorting to creative means, sometimes they can find a way to bring the suspect over the border.

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