Father mourning second child gunned down within a year

MAGNA — Over the summer, Andy Lucero had to bury his son who was shot and killed.

Now, less than seven months later, Luerco has to bury his daughter, 26-year-old Danielle Lucero. She was one of three people who were shot and killed inside a Midvale house earlier this week.

"We're going to have to deal with it, man up, and see this thing go through," a somber Andy Lucero said from his Magna home Thursday.

Omar Jarman, 35, and Shontay Young, 34, were also killed inside 8286 S. Adams St. (450 West) Tuesday morning. A fourth person — an adult woman whose name has not been released — was seriously injured after also being shot. Four others inside the house — three adult males and an adult female — were not injured.

One of the primary suspects, David Fresques, 25, was arrested Wednesday night following a two-day manhunt thanks to an alert officer responding to a traffic accident.

A South Salt Lake police officer responded to a traffic accident near 300 E. Fenton Ave. (3760 South) about 9 p.m. Wednesday. A man in a pickup truck, which was later determined to be stolen, had crashed into a parked vehicle. The impact of the crash knocked the front passenger-side tire off the pickup.

South Salt Lake police spokesman Gary Keller said when the officer asked about the details of the crash, the driver acted very nervously.

"(The officer) quickly realized more was going on than just a simple accident. He requested additional officers," Keller said. "People just don't act that way at an accident. He said something was up."

At least four more officers arrived to question the man. The driver gave the responding officers a false name, said Salt Lake County Sheriff Jim Winder. But the officers recognized Fresques, who has several distinguishable tattoos including a large "13" across the front of his neck and a tattoo over his right eyebrow. Fresques was subsequently arrested without incident. No weapon was recovered, Winder said.

Fresques was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of three counts of murder — one of those counts for investigation of aggravated murder — attempted aggravated murder, aggravated burglary and being a restricted person in possession of a weapon.

The search continued Thursday for a second man whose identity detectives have not yet confirmed. Anyone who has information about him is asked to call police at 801-743-5851.

Friends and family members of Danielle Lucero say they don't know Fresques. But Andy Lucero said there is no reason to hate anyone for what happened. The only emotion he wants to feel right now is the love he had for his daughter.

Lucero remembers Danielle as a star athlete in softball with a passion for sports. He said she was a "well-liked, beautiful" woman who was searching for herself.

"She was just lost like every 23-, 26-year-old person, trying to find an identity," he said.

Wayne Gavin had been Danielle Lucero's friend since the two were children.

"Danielle had so much life and so much beauty inside of her," he said. "That man doesn't even know what he took away. He took away a mother, a friend. Danielle had so much potential and so much life left to live. She was a beautiful individual. She always had the biggest heart."

Now, Gavin wishes he had talked to her more to get her out of the situation she was in.

"I just wish I would have been in contact with her. Now I'll never have that closure with her," he said.