SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Sept. 26, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Police say a 20-year-old man had a handgun in his pocket, blood on his clothes and trouble keeping his story straight following the shooting death of his girlfriend Sunday night in Rose Park.
Jayden Wade Fernelius was arrested for investigation of murder in the death of Lyberdee Cisneros, 24, who was shot at least three times inside a Rose Park apartment complex, according to a probable cause statement filed Monday in Salt Lake City’s 3rd District Court.
Police responded at 8:25 p.m. to reports that a woman had been shot inside an apartment at Downtown West, 780 N. 900 West. Officers arrived to find Fernelius in the apartment and “in possession of a 9mm handgun that was in his right front pocket,” according to the statement from Salt Lake City police.
“Officers entered the apartment and took Jayden into custody,” the police statement says. Officers noted “significant amounts of what appears to be blood” on Fernelius’ clothing, as well as “what appears to be blood on his hands.”
Officers also located Cisneros, “who had been shot at least three times,” police said.
Officers started CPR on the woman until paramedics arrived and transported her to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead, police said.
The shooting death becomes the 12th homicide in Salt Lake City this year.
At least two 9mm shell casings were located inside the apartment, according to the probable cause statement.
A witness told police he knocked on the door of the apartment where a gunshot was heard, and Fernelius answered. The witness “observed the victim facedown on the floor in a large amount of blood,” the statement continues.
The same witness told police Fernelius threatened to kill himself before officers arrived but denied being involved in Cisneros’ death, according to the statement.
Police say Fernelius “changed his story multiple times” when being interviewed by detectives, including:
- He was outside when he heard a gunshot, ran inside and found Cisneros dead.
- Cisneros was trying to hide the gun from him because she was worried he was going to take the gun out of the apartment and “do something stupid.”
- While he was trying to take the gun from Cisneros, it fell to the floor. The woman then picked it up, fired a shot into the floor and then shot herself.
Police say the woman was shot “in a manner not consistent with self-inflicted gunshot wounds.”
Fernelius and Cisneros had been in a domestic relationship for more than two years, according to police.
The Salt Lake City Police Department encourages anyone experiencing domestic violence to speak with a victim advocate by calling 801-580-7969. All services are free, and callers can get information anonymously.
