Family of Herriman woman killed in domestic violence incident speaks out, urges awareness

MAGNA — One week after a domestic violence incident claimed the life of a 42-year-old Herriman woman, her family is sharing her story publicly for the first time—hoping to raise domestic violence awareness and prevent similar tragedies.

Herriman Police said the woman, identified as Lindha Paola Zerpa, was found with injuries consistent with blunt force trauma inside her home, located at 4596 West Watchmen Way, on April 17. Investigators suspect her estranged husband, Manuel Ricardo Ramirez Perez, 55, of South Salt Lake City, carried out the attack before taking his own life.

Authorities report there had been no prior documented history of domestic violence between the two.

'Subtle Warning Signs'

In retrospect, Zerpa's family said subtle warning signs surfaced in the weeks leading up to her death.

Zerpa's niece, Andrea Navea, said Ramirez Perez left Zerpa two years ago. However, the couple maintained a friendly relationship for the sake of their 11-year-old son.

"At one point, we thought of them as an example," Navea said in a Spanish interview with KSL-TV's Garna Mejia. "They would attend birthdays together. They helped each other with pick-ups and drop-offs. He left Lindha Paola and never tried to get back together, but their son remained a priority."

Even after the breakup, Zerpa's mother, Margarita Lara, said Ramirez Perez behaved like an ideal son-in-law around her.

However, they said there was a change in Ramirez Perez about a month and a half ago.

"Lindha Paola would call us stressed out. She was worried he was turning their son against her. Ricardo also started telling her that she wasn't a good mother and that her family didn't love her," Navea said, adding that Zerpa and Ramirez Perez started going to counseling with their son.

Zerpa's family attributes the change to Zerpa's new relationship.

"She was in love. For the first time in her life, she found true love, and she was really happy," Navea said. "She wanted to formalize her relationship with her son. I think that was the detonating force for Ricardo."

The day before the incident, on April 16, Navea said Ramirez Perez went to Zerpa's townhome with the excuse of helping to change her car battery. Navea said Ramirez Perez was inspecting the home with particular interest in the ceiling.

"I think he wanted to figure out where he would hang himself. This was premeditated," Navea said.

Herriman police did not disclose how Ramirez Perez took his own life, but Navea said it was by hanging.

Zerpa's family also fears that Ramirez Perez, at least initially, intended to kill his son.

"They were driving to Lindha Paola's house, but the boy didn't want to go and begged to come to grandma's house," Navea said. "I think that was his original plan, for all three to die."

Hours later, Navea said she received a call from an acquaintance who had an appointment with Zerpa at her home.

"She called me and said she could see her car, but Lindha Paola wasn't answering the door. We tried calling her, but she wasn't answering. Then we learned Ricardo's car was also there. We could feel something wasn't right, so we got in the car and started calling 911. Police got there before us," Navea said.

Court documents show Zerpa filed for divorce on April 16; however, Navea said there was an error, and an original petition was filed when the couple first separated.

"She only found out recently that there was an error, so she had to file again. He knew that was coming and even made fun of her," Navea said, adding that she doesn't place too much significance on the documents being filed the day before the incident.

"As much as it hurts, we want to share Lindha Paola's story," Navea said. "We hope it can help others see that in our case, there were no obvious signs of domestic abuse, the warning signs were so subtle."

Lindha Paola Zerpa's Legacy

"The memories I have of my aunt are the most beautiful. She was someone we were all so proud of," said Yulieny Navea, Zerpa's other niece.

Originally from Venezuela, Zerpa's family said she dedicated her life to helping others feel beautiful on the inside and out. Before moving to Utah in 2019, Zerpa's family said she owned a spa and a phlebotomy clinic in her hometown.

"Her dream was to replicate those businesses here," Yulieny Navea said. "She was always encouraging us to set goals and learn new things. She wanted us to find something we were passionate about."

Zerpa's dreams began to come to life with the opening of her spa in West Jordan. Andrea Navea said she earned multiple certifications as a master aesthetician and massage therapist, and also took phlebotomy courses.

Zerpa's business experienced a setback in January when a fire broke out at the 8830 S. and Redwood Road location. According to the West Jordan Fire Department, there has been no evidence of suspicious activity to indicate the fire was intentionally set.

"She didn't let that get her down. She planned to reopen and had ordered replacement equipment. In the meantime, she had permission to work out of her home temporarily," Andrea Navea said.

Her family said Zerpa was deeply passionate about empowering women and, in recent years, began organizing events to provide free beauty services to cancer patients, helping them feel confident and cared for.

Her personal motto, often displayed at her events, was: "Everyone deserves to shine."

"That's why she's remembered with so much love," Andrea Navea said.

Despite their pain, the family said they are choosing forgiveness and focusing on preserving Zerpa's legacy. They want to continue hosting events to support cancer patients.

"There have been so many women she has helped," Navea said. "At her funeral, one woman told me she wouldn't have made it through her cancer treatments if it wasn't for my aunt's love and encouragement."

Zerpa's family wants her legacy to focus not on how she died but on how she lived.

"We want to remember her not for what she experienced in the moment of her death but for the beautiful person that she was," Andrea Navea said.

A GoFundMe* was set up by the family to help pay for funeral expenses and to support Zerpa's son.

*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited into the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.

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