OREM, Utah, Sept. 13, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — An Orem woman has been charged with obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, after she allegedly misled deputies about her male companion’s involvement in a double shooting near Utah Lake.
Iran Torres, 46, was allegedly with Cesar Matias Sevilla-Aleman, 25, who was charged Monday with two counts of attempted murder in the case, stemming from the Sept. 4 incident in Utah County at a rodeo-type event.
Utah County Sheriff’s officials arrived at the site, at 6767 Lincoln Beach Road, in Spanish Fork, and discovered an un-permitted commercial event, at which alcohol was being sold and bands had been scheduled to perform.
The UCSO had been alerted to the event by organizers, who described it as a family-and-friends gathering, and not as an advertised entertainment event that would draw a few thousand people
Aleman’s probable cause statement says it appears he intended to shoot one man, who was struck in the arm. The same bullet then struck a second man, who was hit in the torso, and had to be airlifted from the scene by a medical helicopter.
The intended victim told investigators Aleman “kept trying to pick a fight with him. The victim stated he kept ignoring him and talking with his friends, this is when Aleman told the victim he had a gun and would kill him.
“Aleman then pulled a gun from his waistband, pointed it at the victim and pulled the trigger. The victim was hit in the arm, the bullet went in his arm and exited his arm and then hit a second victim in the stomach causing serious bodily injury which required him to be Life Flighted to the hospital,” Aleman’s probable cause statement says.
Witnesses described the shooter and the woman he was with, now believed to be Torres, along with their vehicle, to deputies, the statement says. Officers located the car, and Aleman reportedly gave officers a false name.
Aleman was identified by his fingerprints, and officers learned he had previously been deported in 2020, and was in the country illegally, the statement says. Aleman also had an active warrant out of Colorado. He was taken into custody on original charges related to the warrant and his status as an illegal immigration status.
Videos from the shooting scene captured Aleman’s clothing and a tattoo, and showed him with a gun, the UCSO statement says. The targeted shooting victim, who was shot in the arm, identified Aleman as the gunman.
Sgt. Spencer Cannon, UCSO, confirmed to Gephardt Daily Tuesday that the critically injured victim has been released from the hospital, and continues his recovery at home.
Torres arrest
Both Aleman and Torres were taken into custody as they tried to leave the Utah Lake event, says a probable cause statement filed for Iran S. Torres.
The car they were in was searched after a warrant was obtained, “and as a result of the search of the vehicle, a handgun was located on the floor in front of the passenger front seat in plain sight.
“An interview with the female suspect was conducted and she denied ever seeing a gun in the vehicle they were pulled over in,” says the affidavit filed for Torres. “When asked where she was sitting in the vehicle, she stated she was in the passenger seat and the male suspect was driving the vehicle which would place the hand gun in plain view of the individual in the passenger seat.”
Torres reportedly “stated she has been dating the male suspect for approximately 9 months. The female was asked by detectives if she has ever seen the male suspect with any guns. She stated in the 9 months they have been dating, she has never seen him with a gun.”
Video recorded at the scene “the female suspect is attempting to cover up the fact that the male suspect has been in possession of any firearms. She is also attempting to mislead detectives in thinking the male suspect had any involvement in the shooting. She is being booked on one count of obstruction of justice.”
Bail for Torres was set at $750, court documents show. Aleman was ordered held without bail.
Gephardt Daily will have additional information as the case develops.
