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Police say West Jordan homicide was a setup

Investigators believe the girlfriend of a man who was killed Thursday in West Jordan set up the meeting between her boyfriend and the alleged shooter “with the intent to use premeditated violence,” court documents say.

That woman, 20, and the alleged shooter, an 18-year-old man, were booked into jail Friday on suspicion of multiple crimes, including first-degree felony counts of homicide and robbery.

Police said that the victim, Raymond E. Ortiz, 39, parked his van near the intersection of Sparrowtail Road and Ticklegrass Road to meet with the 18-year-old around 2 a.m. Thursday.

The 18-year-old is alleged to have pulled up next to the van in a car, gotten out and fired several rounds at the victim.

Sgt. J.C. Holt said it appears that the 18-year-old and the woman then took approximately 100 pounds of cannabis from the van.

“I don’t know how much of that lends into the motive,” he said.

Holt added that he didn’t know what the meeting was supposed to be about, other than that police allege woman “intended to cause harm to [the victim].”

He said the woman and the man accused of shooting the victim were friends.

The pair were also booked on suspicion of possessing more than 100 pounds of marijuana and obstruction of justice. Both are second-degree felonies.

The Salt Lake Tribune generally does not name suspects who have not been formally charged.

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