A 19 yr old is found shot to death in Big Cottonwood Canyon
In the crisp autumn air of November 1998, the life of 19-year-old Caucasian female Trisha Beristain was tragically cut short. On November 18, her body was discovered in Big Cottonwood Canyon in Salt Lake County, Utah. She had been shot multiple times in what investigators described as an execution-style killing. The scene suggested a violent struggle, a final, desperate fight for her life. Initially, law enforcement was faced with an unidentified victim, but a televised news report featuring a sketch of the young woman reached her family, and her father, Fred Beristain, painfully confirmed the victim was his daughter.
The investigation quickly centered on Trisha's boyfriend, a man she knew as Jesse Vega. Her family informed authorities that she was with him on the night she was killed. Investigators soon learned that "Jesse Vega" was an alias for Arturo Munguia. Evidence at the scene, including a baseball cap with the name "JESSE" written inside and leaves that were not native to the canyon but matched trees at Munguia's apartment complex, further implicated him in the crime.
Within a day of the murder, authorities had a name and a photograph of their prime suspect, but Munguia had already fled. He and a friend, Diego Cruz Silva, reportedly took a flight to Chicago. In June 1999, Silva was located and charged with obstruction of justice. He confessed to being present during the murder and provided a chilling account of the events. According to Silva, Munguia became enraged with jealousy over Trisha having another male friend, despite her insistence that their relationship was platonic.
Silva detailed how he, Munguia, and Trisha were in a truck when an argument erupted. Munguia allegedly shot Trisha once or twice inside the vehicle. She managed to escape and run for her life, but Munguia pursued her, firing the fatal shot into her back before leaving her on the roadside. Based on this and other evidence, a warrant for first-degree felony murder was issued for Arturo Munguia. Despite being profiled on "America's Most Wanted," he has remained a fugitive for decades, with authorities believing he could be in the Chicago area or Mexico. Trisha Beristain's family continues to hold a vigil every year on the anniversary of her death, ensuring her memory is not forgotten while they await justice.
