Traffic accident leads to arrest in beating death of Salt Lake man

Investigators believe a drug debt was the motive behind the beating death of a Salt Lake man.

Over the weekend, Salt Lake police arrested a man in connection with the city's latest slaying.

Pilar Escoto-Ramirez, 29, was found Thursday in a house near 300 East and 1000 South.

"He was found by medical personnel in extremely critical condition. He died Sunday," said Salt Lake police detective Joe Cyr.

Investigators developed leads of people of interest to interview and caught a lucky break early Saturday in the form of a traffic accident near 1700 South and 700 East.

No one was injured, but the passenger was one of the people police wanted to question, Cyr said. The man was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on unrelated warrants.

Information gathered from that man led police to a residence near 1860 West and 300 North Sunday where they arrested 31-tear-old Jaber Priest Bennett without incident and booked him into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of homicide.

Ramirez reportedly owed money from a previous drug deal to Bennett, Cyr said.

In addition to the new charge, Bennett has a warrant out of Las Vegas for battery on a police officer, Cyr said.

No weapons were found at the scene. Investigators believed the death was the result of "physical force," he said.

Bennett remained jailed on $250,000 bail.

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