This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated.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.
A 31-year-old man was sentenced to prison Monday for fatally shooting a man last year during an apparent drug deal gone bad in Salt Lake City.
Richard Michael Warner, of West Valley City, was charged in 3rd District Court with first-degree felony murder and two counts of second-degree felony obstructing justice for the Dec. 19 death of 32-year-old Mario Roberto Zelaya-Zuniga.
Warner on Monday pleaded guilty to the murder charge and prosecutors dismissed the obstructing justice counts.
Judge Elizabeth Hruby-Mills immediately sentenced the man to prison for 15 years to life.
Detectives have said that Warner and the driver of a car were speaking with Zelaya-Zuniga about a drug deal near 500 West and 200 South, when Warner got out of a car to speak with Zelaya-Zuniga.
The driver got back in the car and was talking with Zelaya-Zuniga through a window when Warner pulled out a gun and shot Zelaya-Zuniga in the neck, according to charges. Warner then jumped into the car and the driver sped away, charges state.
The driver turned himself in less than 48 hours later after "seeing [photos of] his car all over the news," police have said.
Acting on information from the driver, who was not charged in connection with the slaying, police arrested Warner.
Warner allegedly admitted to shooting Zelaya-Zuniga, according to charges. He also said he burned his clothes and threw the gun into the Jordan River, charges state.