Park City • A Utah man charged with first-degree felony murder in the shooting death of Jose Fernandez earlier this year claimed he fired his gun in self-defense, a police officer testified Thursday.
Park City police Sgt. Vai Lealaitafea said James Enoch Henfling told him that he and Fernandez got into an altercation at the victim's residence and started punching and choking each other. Henfling said Fernandez began beating him with a stick and that he almost lost consciousness, Lealaitafea testified at a preliminary hearing in 3rd District Court.
Then, according to Henfling's account, he got a .40-caliber Glock from his pickup truck in the parking lot and fired, the sergeant said.
The 37-year-old Fernandez — who worked as a bartender and manager at the No Name Saloon & Grill and Boneyard Saloon & Wine Dive — was found in his condominium at the Snowcrest complex with a gunshot wound in the head and died three days later at a hospital.
In addition to murder, Henfling, a 28-year-old Midvale resident, is charged with felony discharge of a firearm and aggravated burglary, both first-degree felonies.
Thursday was the second day of a preliminary hearing held to determine whether there is enough evidence to proceed to trial in the case. Judge Paige Petersen will issue a decision later.
According to charging documents, Park City police officers responded on Feb. 22 to a convenience store near 1400 Park Ave. on a report of a distraught female there.
Lealaitafea said the woman, Stacey "Liz" Firestone, said she and Henfling, her boyfriend, had come to Park City that day to check on his sister. While she was waiting in his pickup outside Fernandez's condo, Firestone said she heard a gunshot and Henfling and his sister then came out, according to Lealaitafea
Firestone said Henfling told her he had "messed up," Lealaitafea testified.
Henfling, who appeared intoxicated, showed up at the convenience store a short time after officers had arrived and was arrested, Lealaitafea said.
pmanson@sltrib.com
Twitter: @PamelaMansonSLC