A Hispanic/Latino male, David Antonio Trujillo, 68, died on March 11, 2016, in South Salt Lake, Utah, following a violent confrontation in the backyard of a private residence. On that Friday evening, at approximately 8:30 p.m., a 39-year-old homeowner discovered Trujillo in the rear of his property, reportedly armed with a knife. An altercation ensued between the two men, which culminated in the homeowner shooting Trujillo.
Law enforcement officials arrived at the home, located in the
vicinity of 3973 S. 200 East, to find Trujillo deceased at the scene. The homeowner immediately contacted the authorities following the incident and has been cooperating with the ongoing investigation. At the time, no arrests were made, and the name of the shooter was not publicly released. The case was slated for review by the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office to determine if the shooting was justified.
Investigators were initially unable to determine a motive for Trujillo, a U.S. Marine veteran of the Vietnam War, being in the backyard of the residence. While he had no current permanent address, police indicated that he was known to frequent motels in the South Salt Lake area. His family later held a funeral service to honor his life and he was interred at the Utah Veterans Memorial Park.
