On the night of March 13, 2017, a tragic series of events unfolded in Provo, Utah, leading to the death of 24-year-old Gustavo Ramirez, a Hispanic male. What began as a planned robbery quickly escalated into a fatal shooting, cutting short a young man's life and setting in motion a complex police investigation. The incident was determined by authorities to be gang-related, involving a confrontation between rival groups.
A group of four individuals set out that night with the intent to
rob a residence at 71 N. 400 West. Jerry Hawley drove the vehicle, with Maria Hernandez remaining in the car while Jesse William Gourdin and Brayden Marshall, their faces obscured by bandanas, approached the house. Their initial attempt to enter through the front door was unsuccessful, but they managed to breach another entrance. Once inside, Gourdin allegedly fired a 9mm handgun multiple times. In the ensuing chaos, Ramirez was struck by a single bullet to the heart. His girlfriend rushed him to a nearby hospital, but he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Following the shooting, the four suspects fled the scene. Hawley drove them back to Marshall's home as police began their investigation. The diligent work of the Provo Police Department led to the identification and arrest of all four individuals connected to the homicide. Jesse William Gourdin, identified as the gunman, faced the most severe charge of capital murder. The other three accomplices, Brayden Marshall, Maria Hernandez, and the getaway driver, Jerry Hawley, were also charged for their roles in the deadly robbery.
In the subsequent legal proceedings, several of the accused entered into plea agreements. Maria Hernandez and Brayden Marshall both pleaded guilty to charges of manslaughter and aggravated burglary, receiving sentences of up to life in prison, to be served concurrently. Jerry Hawley also accepted a plea deal for his involvement. Jesse William Gourdin, the man accused of firing the fatal shot, was prosecuted on the charge of capital murder, facing the gravest consequences for his alleged actions on that violent night.
