Police have made a fourth arrest in connection with the shooting death of a man in a church parking lot in Kearns.
The 18-year-old suspect is one of four people being held in the March 9 killing of Alonso Gerardo Garcia-Mendoza, 32, of Kearns. According to Unified police, the four suspects — two adults and two juveniles — lured Garcia-Mendoza to the parking lot behind a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 5305 W. 5400 South, planning to rob him. Police believe the 18-year-old and the other adult suspect fired into Garcia-Mendoza’s car, killing him.
Two other people were injured in the shooting.
The 18-year-old fled the scene on foot, and was identified by witnesses and security video. After Unified Police detectives contacted members of his family, the 18-year-old willingly went to the sheriff’s office to be interviewed. He was arrested and booked into the Salt Lake County jail for investigation of charges including aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and felony discharge of a firearm.
Pending formal charges, he is being held without bail.
The Salt Lake Tribune generally does not name suspects in criminal investigations until they have been charged.
