Gun used in slaying found, police say

WEST VALLEY CITY — Unified Police officers believe they have found the gun that was used to kill Amos Pacheco following an argument Friday.

Unified Police Lt. Don Hutson said Friday's investigation went into the night, and officers were led to a West Valley City home where they found the gun early Saturday.

Hutson described the weapon as a handgun, which appeared to match the gun used to kill Pacheco, 25, who had gone with his girlfriend to drop off children at her ex-husband's home in Kearns.

Police say Joshua James Montoya, 26, shot Pacheco in the chest following an argument between the two men.

After a 4 ½-hour manhunt, police arrested Montoya and booked him into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of aggravated murder and obstruction of justice.

Hutson said the argument didn't appear to be connected to the relationship between Pacheco and Montoya's ex-wife, as people have assumed, but rather about something Pacheco may have said about Montoya to someone else.

"It's sad that it comes to that," Hutson said.

— Joseph M. Dougherty