SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Aug. 17, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — A Salt Lake City woman has been charged with the murder of her girlfriend, who was found early Tuesday morning in the area of 885 W. South Temple, according to SLCPD.
Police arrived to find the suspect, 31-year-old Patrice Ann Winward, performing CPR on the victim, who died at the scene. Officers also recovered a gun from a storm drain, Winward’s probable cause statement says.
Winward now faces charges of:
- Murder, a first-degree felony
- Obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony
- Possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, a second-degree felony
The name of the victim will be released once next-of-kin notifications are completed, a police statement says.
“Officers arrived and located the victim’s girlfriend, later identified as Winward, performing CPR,” says a statement released by the Salt Lake City Police Department on Tuesday afternoon. “Paramedics and firefighters responded and pronounced the victim deceased on scene.
“During this homicide investigation, SLCPD detectives learned that Winward and the victim were involved in an argument while riding their bicycles. Witnesses reported the argument ended after multiple gunshots rang out. After allegedly shooting the victim, Winward is accused of giving someone instructions to hide the suspected murder weapon. SLCPD detectives, in cooperation with the SLCPD Crime Lab, later recovered the handgun in a storm drain.”
The statement says Winward confirmed the name of the victim while on scene, and said the two were in a relationship.
“Immediately after this, Winward left the scene stating she had a medical emergency at her nearby residence. Officers followed Winward to her residence and detained her pursuant to the investigation.”
Witnesses interviewed at the Salt Lake City Public Safety Building told officers “victim and Patrice were riding their bicycles together on 900 W and that they were involved in a “heated verbal argument,’ yelling obscenities at each other with the victim trying to get away from Patrice,” Winward’s probable cause statement says.
“Witnesses then heard multiple gunshots and no longer heard any arguing or yelling. Witnesses stated there were no other people nor vehicle in the area and stated that Patrice had to be the one that shot the victim.”
Post Miranda, Winward admitted being involved in a verbal argument with the victim and shooting multiple shots towards the victim in order to prevent her from leaving,” the police statement says. “Patrice heard the victim scream out and then upon approach realized she was injured and observed the victim go unconscious. Patrice rendered CPR until Police arrival and then admitted that she lied to police stating she had a medical emergency at home in order for them to let her leave the scene.
“Patrice admitted that she took the involved handgun and provided instructions to another party to dispose of the handgun in the storm drain in an attempt to hide evidence from police.”
Winward also “admitted to being involved in a verbal argument with the victim and shooting multiple shots towards the victim in order to prevent her from leaving,” the probable cause statement says.
Winward has a felony conviction that prevents her from legally possessing a gun, the statement notes. She is being held without bail in the Salt Lake County Jail.
