American Fork man to stand trial in murder case

PROVO — Six months after police say he shot and killed a former employee, Ramon Somoza was ordered Tuesday to stand trial.

Somoza, 29, of American Fork, is charged with murder in the Dec. 28, 2009, slaying of 46-year-old Jesus Landin. He also is charged with obstructing justice, a second-degree felony, and abuse or desecration of a dead human body, a third-degree felony.

Fourth District Judge Lynn Davis issued the order for Somoza to stand trial following a preliminary hearing Tuesday. Somoza has entered a not guilty plea to each of the charges.

"(Somoza) believes he's innocent, and he thinks a trial will ultimately show that," said defense attorney Steven Burton. "The sooner we can have this trial, the sooner we can prove he's innocent."

But as some of Somoza's business associates, family and police who investigated the case testified during the preliminary hearing Tuesday, it was clear that his innocence would need to be decided by a jury.

According to the testimonies of Somoza's former business partners and nephew, Landin worked as a security guard for Somoza beginning in fall 2009 but either quit or was fired in December 2009.

Defense attorneys argued that Landin was fired because Somoza got complaints about his unnecessary roughness with customers, but witnesses said they didn't know of any such incidents or of any bitterness between Somoza and Landin.

"I thought they got along good," said Oscar Saldana, a former business partner of Somoza's at the Apollo and Landin's employer after he was no longer working with Somoza. "Every time I saw them, they were joking and teasing. It didn't seem like there was any conflict between them."

The only big disagreement, witnesses said, came because Landin said Somoza owed him money from time he had worked. Exactly how much money Somoza owed Landin was unknown, though witnesses and Burton estimated it was between $400 and $800.

Both Saldana and Angel Segura, Landin's employer before Somoza, said Landin told them on Dec. 28, 2009, he was going to meet Somoza later that evening to finally get paid. Segura called Somoza to confirm the meeting because it was understood that Somoza also was going to give Landin some money he owed Segura. Somoza told Segura he was meeting Landin later that day and would "take care of him."

That evening, police say Somoza shot Landin six times and killed him.