In the late hours of an autumn evening in 2020, a young Hispanic/Latino man's life was tragically cut short in what would become a years-long mystery for investigators. Manuel Felipe González Cortez, a 21-year-old male from Colombia, was fatally shot on October 18, 2020, in Salt Lake City, Utah. The incident occurred just after midnight in front of a car wash located near 635 W. 3900 South in Millcreek, a suburb of Salt Lake City.
González Cortez had been staying with his girlfriend nearby and had left their residence to walk to a local convenience store to purchase beer. It is believed that he had no prior acquaintance with the individuals who would ultimately take his life.
For more than three years, the case of Manuel Felipe González Cortez's death remained unsolved, leaving his family and community searching for answers. The Unified Police Department diligently pursued the investigation, utilizing various forensic techniques to piece together the events of that fatal night. A significant breakthrough in the case came from the analysis of surveillance video from a nearby business. The footage captured González Cortez walking down the sidewalk, followed by two males. A struggle ensued between González Cortez and the two individuals, during which muzzle flashes from a firearm were visible. This crucial piece of evidence, combined with DNA analysis, proved to be instrumental in identifying the suspects.
In November 2023, the relentless efforts of law enforcement culminated in the arrests of three men in connection with the murder of Manuel Felipe González Cortez. Awad Moses Majok, then 22, and Nogolweit "Nunu" Kug, then 18, were charged with murder and aggravated robbery. A third individual, Anei Joker, then 20, was also implicated in the series of events. Investigators determined that a gun found in a stolen vehicle that Majok was in eleven days after the murder was the same weapon used to kill González Cortez. This firearm was also linked to another shooting incident involving Joker. The charges brought against these individuals marked a significant turning point in a case that had long remained a painful and unanswered tragedy for the loved ones of Manuel Felipe González Cortez.
