SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, June 10, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office has announced that a jury convicted Roy Anthony Duran for a 2021 shooting murder at a Halloween party in Salt Lake City.
The man killed was 21-year-old Isaiah Valerio.
“The defendant was trying to fight partygoers and, at one point, without provocation, punched Mr. Valerio after the defendant’s girlfriend said Mr. Valerio hit her,” says a statement issued Monday by the SLCo DA’s Office.
“Video evidence of this encounter showed that Mr. Valerio did not strike the defendant’s girlfriend, and a group of individuals at the event came to Mr. Valerio’s defense after the defendant attacked him. The defendant then pulled out his gun and shot Mr. Valerio in the face at point blank range, then ran from the scene.”
On Friday, a jury found Duran, 23, guilty of one count of first-degree felony murder, one count of second-degree felony possession of a firearm by a restricted person, and one count of second-degree felony obstructing justice, the statement says.
Duran’s sentencing is set for Aug. 7 of this year.
“This tragic shooting, started by unprovoked violence, is heartbreaking to the loved ones of Mr. Valerio and our entire community,” District Attorney Sim Gill said in a prepared statement.
“We hope that the justice and accountability that was delivered with this jury verdict will help begin the healing process for Mr. Valerio’s family.
“We thank our prosecutors Karissa McKinney and Josh Graves, the victim counselor Amy Kershisnik, and our support staff for their work on this case over the last three years. We thank Salt Lake City Police detectives for investigating this complicated case and providing the necessary evidence that led to this successful prosecution.”
