On a summer night in the Salt Lake City suburb of Kearns, a heated argument between 21-year-old Dominique Vigil and his girlfriend, Sandra Perez, turned deadly. The dispute, which began over accusations of infidelity, escalated in the early morning hours of July 21, 2023, inside the home they shared with Vigil's mother.
The conflict reportedly started after Perez discovered an old social media account of Vigil's, leading her to believe he was being unfaithful.
The ensuing argument became physical, with Vigil's mother attempting to intervene. According to reports, Perez and Vigil's mother were also involved in a physical altercation before Perez and Vigil moved into their bedroom. It was there that the confrontation reached its tragic conclusion.
Shortly after the couple entered the bedroom, Vigil's mother heard several gunshots. Upon forcing her way into the room, she witnessed her son fall to the floor, having been shot multiple times. Perez then allegedly pointed the gun at Vigil's mother and pulled the trigger, but the weapon did not fire. Perez fled the residence with the gun, and Vigil's mother called 911. When authorities arrived, they found Dominique Vigil deceased from several gunshot wounds.
Later that morning, Sandra Perez, also 21, was arrested in connection with the fatal shooting. She was taken into custody in nearby West Valley City. In her statement to investigators, Perez claimed that the couple had a tumultuous relationship that sometimes turned physical. She stated that she and Vigil both reached for a gun during the argument, but she got to it first and it discharged multiple times. Perez was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail and is facing charges including murder and aggravated assault.
