In a tragic turn of events on a Wednesday evening, a dispute inside a moving vehicle led to the fatal shooting of a Hispanic male, 26-year-old Victor Manuel Garcia Jr. The incident, which took place near 3030 W. 3500 South, escalated quickly, culminating in a violent end to an altercation.
As the car was in motion, a fight broke out between Garcia and another individual. During the struggle, the shooter was reportedly struck with a bottle.
In response, he produced a handgun and fired at least one shot, striking Garcia in the abdomen. When law enforcement arrived at the scene around 9:10 p.m., they discovered Garcia hanging from the window of a silver sedan, unconscious and not breathing.
First responders immediately began life-saving measures, with officers initiating CPR until paramedics arrived. Garcia was rushed to Jordan Valley West Hospital, but tragically, he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival.
The investigation into the homicide quickly identified a prime suspect, 24-year-old Robert DeHerrera. A manhunt ensued, and within 24 hours, DeHerrera was taken into custody. Police tracked him to a residence in Kearns and arrested him during a traffic stop late Thursday night. DeHerrera's father was also taken into custody at the time of the arrest. Following the stop, law enforcement returned to the home where DeHerrera had been hiding and detained several other adults and a juvenile for questioning.
