Salt Lake man charged in shooting death of 19-year-old woman

SALT LAKE CITY — A man accused of shooting a Salt Lake woman to death was charged with murder Wednesday.

Stephanie Williams, 19, was found dead with two gunshot wounds to the head April 5 in her grandmother's house at 766 W. 300 North. Witnesses reported hearing at least three gunshots about midnight. Two men were seen running out to a green, four-door car parked in Williams' driveway and driving off following the gunshots.

Police located Delfino Arriaga Luna, 31, hiding in a woman's apartment at 474 E. 600 South on April 6. While in custody, he admitted to police that he shot Williams in the face with a .40-caliber pistol, according to charges filed in 3rd District Court Wednesday.

Luna was charged with murder, a first-degree felony; obstructing justice, a second-degree felony; and an additional charge for carrying a firearm while a restricted person, a third-degree felony.

He told police he sold the gun for $300 to Gabriela G. Flores. She later was arrested by police, who say she lied about the whereabouts of Luna and told them he sold the gun to another man. Flores sold the gun to a man for $320, the charges state.

Police also arrested Marchae Cordova for allegedly telling investigators that Luna was not in her Salt Lake apartment where he was found hiding, the charges state. Cordova, 20, and Flores, 35, both were charged with obstructing justice, a second-degree felony.

In a strange twist of events, one of Luna's brothers, Benjamin Arriaga Luna, 37, also was questioned in Williams' death, but he later was arrested in connection with the separate shooting death of a man in West Jordan.

Benacio Hernandez-Herrera, 33, was found dead from apparent multiple gunshot wounds in a field near 6300 West and 7400 South about 3 p.m. the day before Williams was found dead.

A third man was booked into Salt Lake County Jail and later charged with aggravated kidnapping after he allegedly picked up the girlfriend and two children of Delfino Luna as ransom for Williams.

Victor Manuel Sanchez told police he was on the phone with one of the two brothers when he heard a scream, and believing Williams was kidnapped, he took Delfino Luna's family to his own home Monday. Detectives say when he found out Williams was dead, Sanchez took the family to police.

Investigators are looking for a third brother who may have been involved in Williams' death, Alvaro "Acuaro" Arriaga, 21. He was questioned last week but was later released because of limited evidence.

Salt Lake Police Sgt. Robin Snyder said police are actively searching for Alvaro Arriaga, who he has family in Mexico. Police ask the public to be on the lookout for a four-door, 1998 silver Ford Contour LX Sport SE with Utah plate SS7268. Anyone with information can contact police at 801-799-3000.

e-mail: lgroves@desnews.com