Man who shot 4, killed 2 at Ogden wedding gets life without parole

OGDEN — A 22-year-old man who opened fire on a wedding party in 2007 — killing two and wounding two others — was sentenced to two terms of life in prison without parole on Thursday.

Riqo Mariano Perea, 22, was found guilty of two counts of aggravated murder and two counts of attempted murder by a jury in March. All are first-degree felonies. Perea was sentenced to the terms of life without the possibility of parole for the aggravated murder charges and two terms of three-years-to-life in prison on the attempted murder charges. All the charges were ordered to run concurrently.

Witnesses testified that Perea was in the passenger seat of a sport utility vehicle that drove slowly past an Ogden home where an August wedding reception was taking place. Perea fired into a group of about 30 people, killing Sabrina Prieto, 22, and Resendo Nava Nevarez, 29, and wounding Richard Lee Esquival, 26, and Keri Garcia, 24.

The shooting is believed to have been gang-related, leading defense attorneys to contend that witnesses were changing their stories in fear of gang retaliation. But prosecutors argued that even Perea's fellow gang members placed him in the passenger seat of the car.

Both Esquival and Garcia testified that they heard an argument in front of the home just before the shooting, and Esquival said he heard someone say, "This is get-back for Ogden Trece" before shots were fired. Ogden Trece is one of Ogden's largest gangs.

Tension between Perea's friends and family and those of the victim led Weber County sheriff's deputies to divide the courtroom with yellow tape throughout the proceedings.

Prosecutors initially had planned to seek the death penalty in the case but decided against it before Perea's trial. A gag order issued by Judge Ernie Jones prevented them from explaining the rationale behind the decision.

Defense attorney Randall Richards said that while the sentence didn't surprise him, it "disappointed" him.

"I understand two people died, and it's a horrible thing, but life without parole for a 19-year-old kid?" Richards said. "My whole argument really stems around the fact that the kid was 19 at the time. A kid made a 30-second mistake, and they should at least give him a chance."

Richards said he argued in court that Perea could change and should have a shorter sentence that would allow him a chance to get out of prison and turn his life around.

Though he said Perea was prepared for the sentence, he does plan to appeal it. Richards said he believes there are some "significant issues" with the case.

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