facebook-pixel

Two teens being held on suspicion of fatally shooting sleeping Ogden woman

Police have arrested two 16-year-old boys suspected of fatally shooting an Ogden woman as she slept in her home.

The gunshots were reported to police at 12:11 a.m. on Sunday, and the victim, Maria Sanchez, 47, was shot multiple times, according to a news release from Ogden police. Sanchez died at the hospital the next day, police said.

The two teens are being held in the Weber Valley Detention Center on suspicion of first-degree felony murder, said Ogden police Capt. Danielle Croyle. One of the teens is also suspected of obstruction of justice.

Originally police detained three people, but the other person, who is an adult, was cleared from the homicide case, Croyle said. Police do not believe any other suspects are at large.

The boys have not disclosed a clear motive to police, Croyle said, though it appeared that Sanchez was not the intended target. The teens either a mistook Sanchez for someone else or mistook the home for another person’s house, the captain said.

No charges had been filed against the teens as of Tuesday evening, court officials said.

Support free news for Utah

sltrib.com is now free to access — no subscription required. We made this decision because we believe access to trustworthy, independent news shouldn’t depend on what you can afford — especially as misinformation and AI-generated content continue to rise.

Free to read doesn’t mean free to produce. Our reporters show up every day to ask hard questions and hold powerful institutions to account. That work takes resources. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on support from people who believe it matters. Make a donation today to fund local news that serves Utah communities.

You can help us bring more local news to more communities today.