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A judge on Thursday ordered three people to stand trial on murder charges in the death of a West Valley City man, who was found dead from a gunshot wound at his home last year.
The three defendants — Bernadette Josette Ramirez, 47; Arturo Frias-Gonzales, 35; and Eddie Salazar, 41 — are all charged with first-degree-felony counts of murder, aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnapping in connection with the slaying of Steven Louis Valdez.
In addition, Ramirez and Frias-Gonzales also are charged with an additional count of aggravated kidnapping and one count of child kidnapping, both first-degree felonies, and second-degree felony obstructing justice. Salazar also is charged with second-degree felony aggravated assault.
Third District Judge Katie Bernards-Goodman ruled at the conclusion of a preliminary hearing, which was held March 24 and Thursday, that there was enough evidence to proceed to a trial. An arraignment for the three defendants has been set for April 15 before Judge Keith Kelly.
According to charges filed in 3rd District Court, police responding at about 1:15 a.m. July 25 to reports of shots fired found Valdez dead at his home at 4150 S. Bluejay St. (4885 West). An autopsy showed Valdez died from a gunshot wound in the leg and blunt force trauma in the head consistent with being hit with a tire iron, the charges say.
On Thursday, West Valley City police Detective David Greco testified that Frias-Gonzales initially told investigators that he and Ramirez — who was Valdez's niece and also lived in the house — had just pulled up to the house early July 25 after being in Wendover and saw a vehicle with men in black inside. Frias-Gonzales said a woman who also sided at the home, Jessica Gallegos, who was carrying her baby, got into the vehicle and it drove off, according to Greco.
He said Frias-Gonzales stuck to that story at first but later admitted Ramirez had told him to say that. And Ramirez claimed Gallegos was the one who said to tell that story, Greco said.
Gallegos had testified March 24 that she was in her basement bedroom in the home the night of the slaying and heard Ramirez accuse Valdez of stealing large amounts of money from her. Valdez denied the allegation and then she heard three shots, according to Gallegos, who said she was not related to Valdez but called him by his nickname of Uncle Beav.
She went upstairs and saw a beaten Valdez in one of the bedrooms, Gallegos said. She said the three defendants were there, and Ramirez and Frias-Gonzales were holding guns and Salazar has a tire iron in his hand.
Ramirez and Frias-Gonzales forced her and her infant son into an SUV and drove around for awhile, telling her she was to say three masked men had killed Valdez, Gallegos said.
She gave that account at first, but told the truth after police found drugs in a vehicle they stopped on Oct. 26 that Ramirez was driving and in which she was a passenger, Gallegos said. She said prosecutors told her they wouldn't charge her if she helped homicide detectives.
Twitter: @PamelaMansonSLC