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3 more arrests made in Kearns kidnapping and murder case

Posted at 10:26 AM, Mar 24, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-24 19:13:31-04

KEARNS, Utah — Police confirmed Wednesday the arrest of three additional people in connection to the kidnapping and murder of a woman in February.

Carolina Marquez, 38, and Fernando Marquez, 22, were charged with murder, kidnapping and obstruction of justice for their roles in the death of Conzuelo “Nicole” Solorio-Romero. Ivan Acosta, 27, was charged with kidnapping and obstruction of justice.

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Orlando Tobar and Jorge Medina-Reyes were previously charged with aggravated murder, aggravated kidnapping and obstructing justice in the case.

Solorio-Romero was abducted from a Kearns home on Feb. 6 and taken to a West Valley City apartment where Tobar questioned her about talking to the police about one of his "close associates" who had been arrested.

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Police say Tobar told Solorio-Romero "that she knew too much, and that she was not going to leave the apartment," before allegedly shooting her in the back of the head.

The probable cause affidavit says an investigation found Carolina Marquez, Fernando Marquez and Acosta were at the apartment when Solorio-Romero was killed. Solorio-Romero worked at the restaurant owned by Carolina Marquez, while Fernando Marquez was her landlord.

A source told police that Fernando Marquez directed Tobar to bring Solorio-Romero to the apartment.

Carolina Marquez said after the shooting, everyone went back to her West Valley City restaurant before going back to apartment to clean up the scene.

Police said a search warrant at the apartment found substantial blood evidence and signs that people had attempted to clean the evidence. Body cam video also showed both Marquez' and Acosta moving items out of the apartment on Feb. 6.

During a search Tuesday of Carolina's restaurant, Tacos Mi Caramelo, surveillance video showed her meeting with Tobar and Medina-Reyes in her office after the shooting had occurred, according to the affidavit.

Solorio-Romero's body has still not been found.