On the evening of July 9, 2021, seven-year-old Hispanic female Zaydanielys "Zai" Rodriguez Irizarry was in her bedroom at the Wasatch Commons Apartments in Heber City, Utah, when her life was tragically cut short. A stray bullet pierced through the wall of her family's apartment, striking and mortally wounding the young girl. Her father, who was at work, received a video call from his six-year-old son who had heard a loud noise and saw his sister coughing up blood.
Zaydanielys' parents rushed her to the Heber Valley Hospital, but she succumbed to the gunshot wound and was pronounced dead later that night. The family had moved from Puerto Rico seeking a better life. A GoFundMe campaign was created to help the family transport their daughter's body back to Puerto Rico for burial.
Responding to a 911 call from the hospital, deputies from the Wasatch County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to both the hospital and the apartment complex. While at the scene, officers heard another gunshot emanating from a nearby apartment. Inside that apartment, they encountered three intoxicated men: 34-year-old Christopher Robert O'Connell, 37-year-old Colin David Howells, and 21-year-old Trever Joe Pinter.
Investigators determined that the fatal shot originated from the apartment where the three men were. Witnesses reported that O'Connell had been intoxicated, waving a handgun around, and had been asked to put it away. O'Connell was identified as the one who fired the shot that killed Zaydanielys. He was arrested and initially charged with manslaughter, possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, carrying a dangerous weapon under the influence, possession of a controlled substance, and intoxication. Two women in the apartment also accused O'Connell and Howells of sexual assault. Howells was charged with sexual battery and intoxication, while Pinter faced a charge of obstruction of justice for initially lying to investigators about seeing O'Connell with a gun.
Initially pleading not guilty to first-degree murder, Christopher O'Connell later pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter in December 2022. This plea was part of a deal that resulted in seven other charges against him being dropped. The plea agreement averted the need for a trial that had been scheduled for the following year. O'Connell awaited sentencing, facing a potential prison term of up to 15 years.
