WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — A 33-year-old man is facing murder charges after he allegedly stabbed his ex-wife and himself during an altercation in a West Valley City home. At the time of the incident, the victim called 9-1-1 herself to ask for help.
Oswald Herrera-Amaya, 33, was arrested on Friday though the charges stem from an incident on March 6, 2026. He faces charges of murder, aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and aggravated assault.
According to court documents, on March 6 at around 11:06 p.m., the Valley Emergency Communications Center received a phone call from the victim, an adult woman. Dispatchers heard a woman screaming on the call and stating she had been stabbed by her ex-husband.
When officers arrived at the home, the victim told dispatchers she was too weak to get to the door.
Officers entered the home and found the victim in a large puddle of blood. Two knives were located near the victim and she was observed to have multiple stab wounds to her chest, back, and right arm.
The victim told police that it was Herrera-Amaya who attacked her before she was transported to the hospital. Once at the hospital, doctors discovered the victim had a collapsed lung.
Detectives searched the area and located surveillance footage of Herrera-Amaya's vehicle leaving the area at around 11:07 p.m.
Later on in the hospital, the victim told police that her ex-husband had shown up to her home unannounced and accused her of infidelity. They argued for about 30 minutes before the victim told Herrera-Amaya to leave.
As they approached the door, Herrera-Amaya allegedly slammed the front door closed and started strangling the victim. The victim attempted to fight back but soon Herrera-Amaya pulled a knife out and stabbed her multiple times.
During the altercation, the knife broke which prompted Herrera-Amaya to retrieve another knife from the kitchen.
The victim recalled Herrera-Amaya making statements while stabbing her such as, "If I can't be with you, nobody can, we have to die together."
The victim also remembered Herrera-Amaya making a video call to a relative to show what had happened. He reitterated the reasoning behind the attack and then allegedly stabbed himself in the neck before leaving the home.
Oswald Herrera-Amaya is being held without bail.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic or intimate partner violence, know that free and confidential help is available 24/7.
You can contact the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition by calling 1-800-897-LINK (5465) or visiting their website udvc.org
You can also contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by phone at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or through their online live-chat at thehotline.org
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, please call 9-1-1 immediately.
