Two are convicted of July 4 murder

Two men were found guilty late Friday of killing one teenage boy and wounding another at a Fourth of July party in 2006 in Salt Lake City.

Anthony David Milligan, 22, and Marco Mike Heimuli, 23, were convicted of murder and attempted homicide, with weapons enhancements for each charge, prosecutor Alicia Cook said. They both face possible life sentences.

The verdict in 3rd District Court from a seven-man, two-woman jury came after two and a half hours of deliberation following the conclusion of testimony and closing arguments, Cook said.

Tevita Finau Vaenuku, 18, was shot and killed after he was summoned to help his girlfriend, who was threatened at the raucous party attended by gang members near 400 North and 1800 West.

Milligan was previously convicted in 2008 in the September 2006 killing of Marchello Cecala, 25, and sentenced to consecutive terms of 15 years to life for murder and one to 15 years for possession of a dangerous weapon.

He was also found guilty in 2008 of forcible sex abuse and sentenced to five years in prison.

— Paul Koepp