KEARNS — Four documented gang members accused of hitting and killing an innocent couple while fleeing the scene of a drive-by shooting have all been charged with murder.
Argenis Daniel Ramirez Saedt, 19, of Millcreek, who goes by the monikers “Cripples," and "Shanker"; Jose Luis Muñoz-Lugo, 24, of Salt Lake City, who goes by the moniker "Fish Lips"; Jose Humberto Mancia, 17, of Magna; and Rosalio Andres Alvarez, 19, of Murray, who goes by the moniker "Boon Dock," were charged Friday in 3rd District Court with two counts of murder, a first-degree felony; and felony discharge of a firearm, a second-degree felony.
In addition, all but Alvarez were charged with theft by receiving stolen property, a second-degree felony.
Although Mancia is only 17, he was charged as an adult and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail. Mancia also faces an additional charge of possession of a firearm by a restricted person, a third-degree felony.
On Sept. 19, Tami Lynn Woodard, 50, and Lloyd Everett Pace, 55, both of Kearns, were in a Toyota Yaris about 7:30 p.m. when they were hit by a Ford F-150 pickup truck fleeing the scene of a drive-by shooting, according to charging documents. Woodward and Pace were pronounced dead at the scene. The couple had been engaged since December.
Witnesses told investigators that moments before the crash, they observed the pickup approach a known gang house on the corner of 5240 W. 5391 South, charging documents state. They ran for cover when they saw a man in the back seat point a gun out the window, followed by two to four shots, the charges state.
As the pickup fled the scene, going 44 mph in a 25 mph zone, it ran a stop sign and hit "a dip in the road which caused the truck to become airborne" and hit the Yaris, charging documents state.
The pickup was reported stolen out of Tooele, according to police, and two handguns and a shotgun were recovered at the scene of the crash.
Detectives also went back to the house where the shootout occurred and served a search warrant. Although no arrests were made, investigators said they found 10 to 12 people inside and seized several more guns.
Bail for each defendant is set at $1 million.
Ramirez-Saedt already faces misdemeanor charges of bringing a loaded gun onto school property a year ago, according to court records. In that case, Ramirez-Saedt went inside Granger High School during school hours and failed to check in with the office. When police caught up with him, they discovered that he was carrying a loaded firearm that "was concealed on his person and was readily accessible for immediate use," the charges state. He also allegedly had a knife.
The deaths of Woodard and Pace, combined with other recent shootings in the Kearns area, prompted community leaders to hold a town hall meeting to address questions from concerned residents who have been fed up with the recent violence.