SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Oct. 13, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Court documents reveal new details on the shooting of a man at Salt Lake City’s Wasatch Inn after an argument over a cigarette.
The victim, whose name has not been released, is a 38-year-old man who is on “life support and is not expected to survive the gunshot wound to the head,” says a newly released probable cause statement filed in the arrest of suspect Joseph Tracy Marquez, 60.
Salt Lake City police were called at 10:05 a.m. Tuesday and responded to the scene, at 1416 S. State St., in Salt Lake City’s Ballpark neighborhood.
“When officers arrived, a male adult victim was found in the parking lot of the above listed location suffering from a single gunshot wound to the head,” Marquez’s probable cause statement says. “The victim was not conscious and not breathing when police arrived. The victim was then transported to IMC hospital in critical condition.”
Police interviewed witnesses.
“Detectives then spoke with witnesses who stated that the A/P (arrested person) had a verbal dispute with a female and her boyfriend over a cigarette.
“According to witnesses, the victim and his girlfriend walked away from the altercation and went into another room. A short time later, the A/P went to the room where the victim was located and started to pound on the door, wanting to confront the victim again.”
The victim and his girlfriend exited the room, “and the verbal altercation continued,” the statement says.
“During this altercation, an eyewitness told police that they observed the A/P shoot the victim in the head with a gun. Surveillance video from the location shows the A/P in a physical altercation with the victim and then the victim is seen falling to the ground suffering from a gunshot wound to the head.”
A news release from the SLCPD says later on the day of the shooting, the department’s homicide squad arrested 71-year-old Thomas Leroy Glasker for attempted murder and obstruction of justice, alleging he was Marquez’s accomplice.
“Based on the preliminary investigation, the victim and Marquez got into a fight,” the news release says. “Witnesses told detectives they saw Glasker give Marquez the gun. After shooting the victim, Marquez allegedly left the motel with the assistance of Glasker.”
The Salt Lake City police news release says Glasker “first denied that he assisted the A/P (Marquez) after the shooting but later admitted that he picked the A/P up and gave him a ride after the shooting. The A/P was found this afternoon hiding in the co-defendant’s apartment. The firearm in this case has not been recovered.”
Marquez, whose arrest was announced by police Wednesday night, has been arrested on suspicion of:
- Murder (attempted), a first-degree felony
- Obstruction of justice, a third-degree felony
- Purchase, transport, possession or use of a firearm by a restricted person, a third-degree felony
Both Glasker and Marquez were booked into the Salt Lake County jail system and are being held without bail.
