This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Three suspects in custody agree that two gunmen entered Murray's Lee Mart in March, and one of the two fired two shots that killed long-time store clerk David Marsh.
But in court documents, investigators indicate that contradictory statements point fingers of blame at both Juan Andres Zalazar, 23, of Taylorsville, and Alexis Alan Garcia, 20, of South Salt Lake.
In the most recent 3rd District Court filings, Zalazar was formally charged with first-degree felony murder, along with first-degree felony aggravated robbery. The charging document notes that Garcia, requesting a meeting with Murray detectives four days after his April 14 arrest, admitted that both he and Zalazar entered the store armed with handguns, but pointed to Zalazar as firing the fatal shots.
However, the same narrative from Murray detectives also noted that a third suspect — 19-year-old Martin Castillo, arrested April 14 in West Palm Beach, Fla. — was waiting in the getaway car when Zalazar and Garcia returned. Castillo, the charging information states, heard Zalazar say that he was hit by a cash register tray thrown by the 62-year-old Marsh — but it was Garcia who shot the clerk.
"The following day, Zalazar and Garcia gave Castillo some money and told him to remain quiet," wrote Murray police Detective Chris Brekenfeld in court documents.
Fingerprints recovered from the glass door of the store have been matched to Garcia, charges state.
About 6 a.m. on March 18, two males, their faces concealed by bandanas and hats, entered the store at 5909 S. 700 West and demanded cash from Marsh at gunpoint. The clerk complied, but as the gunmen fled, he threw the cash register tray at one of the men.
One of the two shot Marsh with a .22-caliber revolver. The clerk suffered mortal head and chest wounds.
In late April, Garcia also was charged with murder and aggravated robbery. Both he and Zalazar remained in the Salt Lake County Jail on Friday in lieu of more than $1 million bail each.
Castillo has not yet been charged in the Lee Mart case, pending his extradition from Florida.
Twitter: @remims