SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Aug. 22, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Alex Mendoza, a documented gang member also known as “Baby Alex” according to charging documents, has been found guilty of the 2021 murder of 28-year-old Emilio Salazar.
Mendoza was found guilty of murder, felony discharge with serious bodily injury, felony discharge with bodily injury, and possession of a firearm by a restricted person.
Salazar died from injuries, including a gunshot to the back of his head, on Jan. 9, 2021. He was found face-down in a driveway and died hours later at a local hospital.
Witnesses told police Salazar had been arguing with Mendoza, then 19, and “Mendoza produced a gun and shot Salazar,” charging documents say.
The jury in the case deliberated for six hours, says a statement from the office of District Attorney Sim Gill.
“This was a tough case,” Gill said in a prepared statement. “Our Office has been working
on this case for the better part of a year. I cannot say enough good things about the prosecutors and investigators that handled this case. The police officers that worked this case and put it together deserve to be commended as well.
“Alex Mendoza was found guilty in a court of law. Our communities can sleep
easier knowing that he has been held accountable.”
Mendoza’s sentencing is set for Oct. 20 of this year.
