SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Oct. 5, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — A first-degree murder charge was filed Wednesday against Jayden Wade Fernelius in the Salt Lake City shooting death of Lyberdee Cisneros.
Fernelius, 20, was the boyfriend of 24-year-old Cisneros.
At 8:25 p.m. Sept. 25, Salt Lake City police were summoned to the scene, an apartment at 780 N. 900 West. They found Fernelius inside the apartment, his probable cause statement says.
“When contacted Jayden was in possession of a 9mm handgun that was in his right front pocket. Officers entered the apartment and took Jayden into custody. Officers located a female victim inside the apartment who had been shot at least three times. The victim was transported to IMC Hospital where she was later pronounced deceased.”
When found, the statement says, the clothing Fernelius was wearing had “significant amounts of what appears to be blood. Jayden had what appears to be blood on his hands.”
The statement notes that Fernelius and Cisneros were the only people found in the apartment. The suspect told officers, at one point, “he was outside and heard a gunshot and ran to the apartment and found the victim dead.”
At another point, Fernelius told officers the victim shot and killed herself.
“The victim was shot multiple times in a manner not consistent with self-inflicted gun shot wounds,” Fernelius’ charging documents say.
“Jayden was interviewed by detectives. Jayden changed his story multiple times.”
In an unrelated case, Fernelius was charged on Sept. 12 after allegedly trying to steal an AK47 he had arranged to purchase for $1,100, then giving the seller $361 and fleeing in a car. When the victim approached the car to ask about the missing money, Fernelius allegedly put the car in reverse, hitting the victim in the legs.
In that case, Fernelius was charged with theft of a firearm, a second-degree felony; possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, a second-degree felony; and aggravated assault, a third-degree felony.
In that case, Fernelius was arrested and initially ordered held without bail.
