In the quiet moments of a Saturday, the life of 16-year-old Josue David Magadan, a Hispanic male, was irrevocably altered in the parking lot of a Murray, Utah, McDonald's. On March 2, 2024, while sitting in the driver's seat of a Chevrolet Tahoe, Josue was shot in the back of the head. The incident, which police say occurred during what was described as "play fighting," would ultimately prove fatal.
Friends and family remembered the young man as a hilarious, kind, and sweet individual.
The alleged shooter was not a stranger but a man identified as his 20-year-old "good friend," Jhon-Alvaro-Alarcon Paredes. According to a witness who was a passenger in the vehicle, Paredes was seated in the back seat directly behind Josue. The witness stated that Paredes was "play fighting" with Josue and at some point, produced a handgun. After chambering a round, he pointed the firearm at the back of Josue's head, stating he was going to kill him, reportedly in a joking manner, at which point the gun discharged.
Following the shooting, Paredes fled the scene. Investigators were able to track his cellphone to Fruita, Colorado. The next day, deputies from the Mesa County Sheriff's Office located a vehicle matching the description of Paredes' at a gas station and took him into custody. Paredes was initially facing a charge of attempted murder, which was anticipated to be upgraded to murder following Josue's death. Josue David Magadan succumbed to his injuries and passed away on the evening of Tuesday, March 5, 2024. An obituary stated he was born in Guerrero, Mexico, and would be laid to rest there. A GoFundMe campaign was established to assist his family with funeral expenses.
