Local authorities from Vernal arrested Christopher Travis Herrera, 31 years old, for charges of murder after he shot another man eight times but claiming that he did not mean to kill the victim.
Herrera was put into the Uintah County jail and was formally indicted on Tuesday afternoon inside the 8th District court for murder, as reported by Deseret.
Unintentional murder
Police officers from Vernal responded to a call on June 3 to an apartment complex, which they discovered to have one unit that had its front door unlocked. The authorities found a man inside on the living room floor, which looked to have been shot several times.
The victim was seen to have had difficulty breathing, and officers immediately transported to the Ashley Regional Hospital for emergency treatment but later died to his severe injuries.
Several witnesses told police they saw the suspect fleeing through the area with a pistol in hand. Adult Probation and Parole agents assisted police officers in locating Herrea, who was at the time on probation.
Herrera reportedly ran away from a vehicle that officials pulled over and proceeded to lock himself inside a residence for two hours before police breached the barricade and took him into custody.
When detectives questioned him, Herrera said he had no intention of killing the victim and claims he came to him to purchase a gun.
According to KSL, the affidavit wrote that Herrera claimed his non-intention to kill the victim and that he only wanted to hurt him because he believed he deserved it for acting tough.
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Multiple gunshot wounds
Medical experts who performed an autopsy on the victim's body discovered that he was shot eight times. Local authorities have not revealed the man's identity, however.
The affidavit also revealed that two of the gunshots were found on the victim's front side, while the other shots were on his back.
Police officers said that they provided medical assistance to Herrera when they arrested him and transported him to a nearby hospital after they discovered bite-related injuries, as reported by ABC4.
When authorities questioned Herrera a second time, he claimed that he shot the victim because he was about to shoot first. He also noted that he did not plan to kill the man, despite shooting eight times.
Police officers said they would release more information of the victim and the suspect as the investigation unfolded and after family members are notified of the incident.
According to UB Media, the police officers who placed Herrera in the Uintah Country Jail said that he was being held without bail. They also revealed that the suspect was arrested on June 5 at 3:30 p.m. but that the statement itself was not delivered to the Utah court database until June 8, Monday.
The reports stated that at least 30 officers belonging to the Vernal Police Department were involved in the response and tracking down of the suspect.
Vernal Mayor Doug Hammond decided not to reveal information on the case or either of the suspect and the victim.
