New details about the killing of local Spanish radio host Gabriela Sifuentes Castilla were revealed in charging documents filed Tuesday against her former fiance, who is believed to have fled to Mexico.
According to the documents, the victim’s sister told police that Manuel Omar Burciaga-Perea, 34, and Sifuentes Castilla, 38, had attended a party together before the fatal Oct. 17 shooting, and that Burciaga-Perea became “enraged” because Castilla danced with another man at the event. (Sifuentes Castilla went by the name Gaby Ramos on her local radio show “La Neta del Planeta,” or “The Truth of the Planet.”)
Sifuentes Castilla’s sister called police at about 1:21 a.m. that Sunday to report that Burciaga-Perea was in her home, near 2300 West and 5200 South, arguing with Sifuentes Castilla. The sister said Burciaga-Perea went into Castilla’s bedroom to find an engagement ring he had given her, but she and Sifuentes Castilla were able to force him out of the house.
But about 14 minutes later, Burciaga-Perea reportedly returned. Sifuentes Castilla opened the front door to find him pointing a gun at her, the documents state. She extended her arms and screamed, “No, no, no!” as she began to fall backwards, according to her sister. Burciaga-Perea shot Sifuentes Castilla several times, and continued to shoot her as she lay on the floor, the documents state.
Burciaga-Perea then aimed the gun at the sister, she said, so the sister ran to her bedroom to wake her husband. Burciaga-Perea was gone when they returned to the living room. Despite the efforts of first responders, Sifuentes Castilla died of her wounds at about 1:50 a.m. She was shot seven times in the chest, arm and head, the documents state.
The sister told police that Sifuentes Castilla and Burciaga-Perea had been in a relationship for about eight months and had broken up “multiple times” because of his jealousy.
Taylorsville police were unable to track Burciaga-Perea’s cell phone because he had turned it off after the shooting. They obtained a search warrant for Burciaga-Perea’s Facebook account. His Facebook Messenger account was active at 1:13 a.m. at the site of the shooting, and was activated again the following day from Chihuahua, Mexico, the documents state. He never returned to the room he rented in Salt Lake County, police said, abandoning the property he had there.
Burciaga-Perea was charged Tuesday in 3rd District Court with aggravated murder and aggravated burglary, first-degree felonies; obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony; and aggravated assault and domestic violence in the presence of a child, third-degree felonies. Castilla’s 9-year-old room was in an adjoining room at the time of the shooting.
A no-bail warrant has been issued for his arrest.
