SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Jan. 15, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Detectives with the Salt Lake City Police Department’s Homicide Squad have arrested a woman who is accused of obstructing a murder investigation that began Sunday with the discovery of a body, now identified as that of 18-year-old Gabriel Vigil.
Vigil was found on the ground, near 350 E. 800 South, with at least one gunshot wound, a SLCPD statement says.
Detectives booked 23-year-old Tommi Gallegos into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail on Sunday. She is charged with one count of obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony.
This investigation started at 2:37 a.m. Sunday when several callers alerted dispatch to a shooting. Police responded to the scene, in the Central City Neighborhood of Salt Lake City. Vigil, found on the ground near a sidewalk, died at the scene, the police statement says.
“Officers, detectives, and crime lab technicians found gunfire damage to a house, fence, and multiple parked cars. The motive to the shooting remains under investigation.
“Detectives have determined several people connected to the shooting attended a birthday party at a house being rented through an online property rental company. At some point, an argument escalated into a fight. After the shooting, people attending the party, and witnesses to the shooting, left before police arrived.
“During the investigation, detectives gathered information that showed Gallegos made false statements to hinder, delay, or prevent prosecution in this investigation.”
Gallegos’ affidavit says she and four other females remained in the residence, an Airbnb rental, and were taken in for questioning.
“Initially, all four females being interviewed stuck with the story that only they were at the party when they heard gunshots,” Gallegos’ probable cause statement says. “Detectives pressed each female further explaining other witnesses had observed several people outside the residence directly after the shooting.
“When pressed further, two of the females gave further information about other males and females at the party and an argument and fight breaking out. These two witnesses also state that the other two females (Gallegos and another woman, who has not yet been charged) were actually outside in front of the house at the time of the shooting and directly after, (the other woman) came inside stating she thought that she may have been hit by a bullet in the leg. The females checked her leg and found no gunshot wound.”
Gephardt Daily will share the names of any additional people arrested in the case after charges are filed.
Gallegos was pressed by detectives further “and she continued to say they were all inside when the shooting occurred and she knew nothing about any other people who may have been involved.”
Additional witnesses, a male and three females, were located in the house and interviewed.
“These witnesses described a male arguing with a female and kicking her out of the party. This female was making threats as if she was going to get someone to get back at this male,” Gallegos’ affidavit says. “The witnesses then described this same male inside the party arguing with his girlfriend and physically assaulting her, then physically assaulting another female at the party. The witnesses state the male leaves with his group of other males.”
The witnesses said both Gallegos and the other woman, whose birthday was being celebrated, went outside “just prior to the gunshots being fired.”
The witnesses said Gallegos and the other woman “knew and invited the male involved in the argument and assault, and knew and invited the female who had been kicked out of the party.”
“It is clear and apparent from witnesses interviewed at the party, as well as witnesses in the area, (Gallegos and the other woman ) have made false statements to police as to their involvement and knowledge of others involved with intent to hinder, delay, or prevent the investigation.”
Gallegos was ordered to be held without bail.
