In the early evening of January 17, 2023, a burst of violence shattered the rush hour calm at a busy Ogden, Utah intersection, claiming the life of 24-year-old Juan Garcia, a White / Caucasian male. Garcia, known to his loved ones as "JJ," was inside a vehicle at the intersection of 12th Street and Harrison Boulevard when another car pulled alongside. In a sudden ambush, at least nine shots were fired from the suspect's vehicle, striking Garcia multiple times.
He was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition but ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
The brazen nature of the shooting, which occurred around 5 p.m., allowed witnesses to capture images of the fleeing vehicle, providing crucial leads for investigators. The Ogden Police Department quickly launched an investigation that led them to the registered owner of the suspect car. There, they located and arrested two men, 21-year-old Mauro Soto and 30-year-old Anthony Barela, who were hiding in a motorhome on the property. A third individual, a 21-year-old woman who owned the car, was also taken into custody but was later released without charges.
Subsequent investigation and witness interviews identified Mauro Soto as the shooter who fired from the back seat of the car, and Anthony Barela as the driver. Police were able to trace the route the suspects took after the shooting and recover a handgun believed to be the murder weapon. Soto was charged with aggravated murder, obstruction of justice, possession of a firearm by a restricted person, and nine counts of felony discharge of a firearm. Barela faced a charge of felony obstruction of justice. It was revealed that Soto was on probation for a previous shooting at the time of Garcia's death. In February 2025, a jury found Mauro Soto guilty of aggravated murder, and he was later sentenced to a minimum of three decades in prison.
Juan Garcia, a graduate of Ben Lomond High School, was remembered as a loving father to his infant daughter, a devoted son and brother, and a caring friend. His family described him as a kind and funny young man with dreams of becoming an engineer. His sudden and violent death left his family and community in deep mourning.
