Mexican national must stand trial

PROVO — A judge ruled Friday that there is enough evidence to order a Mexican national accused of killing his boss in a dispute over wages to stand trial.

A home building superintendent testified Friday that he was at a Lehi construction site Jan. 9 when Jesus Hernandez pulled out a gun, pointed it at Joseph Crummy's face and pulled the trigger.

Nathan Leavitt said Hernandez, who is an illegal immigrant, was speaking to him about a wage dispute with Crummy when Crummy arrived at the site.

Hernandez and Crummy started arguing about the issue. Leavitt said Hernandez went back to his car. And that's when he heard a sound like "firecrackers" — but when he turned to find out the cause of the noise he saw Hernandez with the gun.

Both Jesus and Julian Hernandez filed claims with the Utah State Labor Commission Dec. 20 against Crummy, a stucco contractor who ran Prestige Exteriors. Jesus Hernandez said Crummy owed him $1,345 for nearly three weeks of work. His father claimed $1,900, including $1,191 for a bounced paycheck.

Judge Steven Hansen scheduled a June 29 arraignment, at which Jesus Hernandez, 32, will enter his pleas to the felony charges for murder, obstruction of justice and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person.