4 charged in death of man found dead in LDS Church parking lot

SALT LAKE CITY — Murder charges were filed Friday in the case of the shooting death of Hairam Torres, who was found dead in the back seat of a rental car parked at an LDS Church parking lot in West Valley City on Dec. 10.

Christian Lizarzaburu, 32, Lucina Fernandez, 27, Eddie Garza, 20, and Anthony Corona, 20, were implicated in the alleged crime after they plotted to meet Torres, 24, at the parking lot to buy drugs, but ultimately rob Torres.

Fernandez supplied the vehicle, which was a rental car that was going to be reported as stolen, and Garza set up the meeting, according to documents filed in 3rd District Court on Friday. Lizarzaburu and another juvenile waited behind a nearby shed "in order to help out with the robbery if things went bad," and Corona held a gun while Garza struggled with Torres.

Court documents state that after running to the vehicle from behind the shed, Lizarzaburu heard multiple gun shots and saw Corona put the gun into his pocket and say, "I shot him six times."

The four conspired to "give law enforcement a false statement if they got caught," however, along with shell casings, police located Corona's cell phone in the vehicle where Torres' body was found.

Lizarzaburu, Corona, Garza and Fernandez are charged with murder and robbery, both first-degree felonies and Fernandez and Lizarzaburu are charged with obstructing justice, also a first-degree felony.

— Wendy Leonard

Twitter: wendyleonards