SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Sept. 7, 2025 (Gephardt Daily) — A court document filed in the arrest of Cesar Gonzalez Juarez reveals more details about events leading up to the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old man outside a Sugar House party.
Salt Lake City police were dispatched to the scene, 1300 E. Wilson Ave., at 12:18 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, and found a man, identified in court documents as U.D., shot and in the street.
At 12:59 a.m., 24-year-old Juarez approached a South Salt Lake Police officer. He identified himself and “told officers that he had just shot someone and it was self-defense.
“Cesar was also in possession of a 9mm pistol that he turned over to officers. It was later determined that the pistol was empty of ammunition.”
U.D., who had multiple gunshot wounds, was declared dead after being transported to a hospital. Juarez was taken to the Salt Lake City Police Department for questioning. Several witnesses from the scene also were questioned at the department.
“Witnesses indicated that Cesar and two of his friends, M.W. and J.J., arrived in the area of 1300 E. Wilson Ave. shortly before the shooting in a white Volkswagen, where a house party was taking place nearby. Witnesses indicated that U.D. was also walking to the party with friends when the white Volkswagen arrived in the area. Witnesses indicated U.D. exchanged words with Cesar, who was still inside the car.
“At some point, Cesar and the front seat passenger (M.W.) exited the vehicle, where they continued to exchange words with U.D. The argument escalated to a shoving match, where it was then reported that U.D. punched Cesar in the head, causing Cesar to fall to the ground. Shortly after falling to the ground, witnesses stated Cesar then retrieved a pistol from his waistband and fired at least two times, with at least one round being fired into the air.
“Witnesses stated this caused people to flee the area, including U.D., who ran in a northbound direction away from the scene. M.W. admitted to detectives that he chased U.D. as U.D. tried to run away and tackled him in the street. M.W. said he and U.D. continued to fight in the street, where M.W. admitted to punching U.D.
“M.W. stated he stood up, leaving U.D. lying in the street, and believed the fight to be over. M.W. said Cesar then walked up to them in the street and witnessed Cesar fire several more rounds at U.D. before he and Cesar fled the scene on foot. M.W. admitted he and Cesar were ultimately picked up by the driver of the white Volkswagen (J.J.) at a nearby gas station.”
J.J. and M.W. “admitted they then drove Cesar to a nearby police department because Cesar wanted to turn himself in.
Post Miranda warning, Juarez admitted to arriving in the area with his friends J.J. and M.W.
“Cesar said prior to exiting the vehicle, he removed his pistol from his backpack and placed it in his waistband. Despite witnesses’ statements, Cesar denied any verbal altercation taking place before getting out of the vehicle. Cesar said that as he exited the vehicle, he was confronted by two individuals, with one of them (U.D) getting into his face. Cesar said he was then punched three times by U.D. in the face.
“Cesar admitted he then removed the pistol from his waistband, racked the slide to load a round in the chamber, and began to fire rounds at U.D.. Cesar admitted he continued to fire until his pistol ran out of ammunition. Cesar confirmed that he never saw U.D. with a weapon and that the punches thrown by U.D. never caused him to become unconscious.”
Despite witnesses’ statements, Juarez said “he fired all his rounds at the victim all at once and not in two volleys as described by witnesses. Surveillance video was located in the area, which recorded the audio of the gunshots being fired. The audio confirmed the gunshots were fired in two separate volleys and not all at once as described by Cesar.
“Cesar also provided misleading statements by stating that after the shooting, he walked to the South Salt Lake Police Department, where he reported the shooting. Cesar said he last saw his friends J.J. and M.W. at the scene and he wasn’t sure where they were.”
Juarez was arrested for investigation of the alleged crimes of:
- Murder, a first-degree felony
- Obstruction of justice — Capital/first-degree felony conduct, a second-degree felony
Juarez was booked into the Salt Lake County jail and ordered held without bail.
