MIDVALE, Utah — A jury in Utah's Third District Court has found 23-year-old Guillermo William Herrera guilty of first-degree felony murder for the death of 28-year-old Oscar Avila Jr.
According to the Salt Lake County District Attorney, on November 6, 2021, Herrera and two others, all associates of the Dogtown gang, crashed a wedding celebration in Midvale at the Ganesh Center. When friends and family of the couple asked the group to leave, an argument ensued.
Outside of the building, one of the suspects allegedly flashed a pistol he had in his waistband, and Herrera also produced a gun, causing Avila to rush toward him.
The D.A.'s office said Herrera pistol-whipped Avila before firing a single shot into his chest, killing him.
"Weddings are meant to be a time of celebration for all those in attendance, and instead the defendant decided to turn this one into a tragedy," Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill wrote in a release. "Our hearts go out to the family of Mr. Avila and hope that this conviction helps them start to heal from the devastation of his death."
On Friday, the jury found Herrera guilty of first-degree felony murder, second-degree felony possession of a firearm by a restricted person, second-degree felony obstructing justice, and third-degree felony aggravated assault. He will be sentenced on Oct. 20.
The cases against the co-defendants, Daniel Brando Garcia and Troy Latorio Kajiyama, are still making their way through the criminal justice system.
