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SANDY — A Salt Lake man already charged with killing two people at a party in 2021 has now been connected to another shooting in Sandy two days earlier.
Patrocinio Perez, 21, was charged Thursday in 3rd District Court with discharge of a firearm causing injury, a second-degree felony, plus aggravated assault and seven counts of shooting in the direction of someone, third-degree felonies.
Perez is already charged with two counts of aggravated murder for the Aug. 15, 2021, shooting deaths of Juan Valentine Rodriguez, 19, and Ivan Valenzuela at a house party in Magna. A 17-year-old girl was also shot and injured in that incident. The case is scheduled to go to trial in August. In September 2023, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office amended Perez's murder charges to make them capital offenses. Prosecutors in July 2023 also filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty if he is convicted.
On Aug. 13, 2021, police say a man and two women were driving near 8700 South and 300 East when they saw a Jeep stopped in the middle of the road. After the man slowed down, he "heard several loud pops as rounds were fired at his Hyundai. One of the rounds traveled through the back door and struck (the woman in the front passenger seat) in her left upper thigh area, which left an abrasion," according to charging documents filed Thursday.
Sandy police believe the shooting was the result of mistaken identity, with Perez wrongly believing rival gang members were behind him.
Police found eight shell casings at the scene and three bullet holes in the Hyundai. Those shell casings were later matched to the casings found at the double homicide that occurred two days later, the charges state. In addition, "jail phone calls were discovered where Perez discussed the shooting in Sandy."
Perez later told police he sold the gun after the double killing, the charges say.
In addition to those incidents, Perez is also facing charges tied to yet another shooting that occurred about two weeks after the homicides.
On Aug. 26, 2021, Sandy police responded to a report of a residence that was struck by multiple gunshots. Police said a male who "is a key witness to a West Jordan homicide" lived in the house. Perez is charged in that case with obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, and three counts of shooting in the direction of a building, a third-degree felony. The next court hearing in that case is scheduled for June 7.
Investigators say Perez is a "shot caller" in his gang.
In September 2021, about a month after the double homicide, he was arrested and charged with possession of a weapon by a restricted person and drug possession after being pulled over by police who reported finding guns and drugs in his possession.
Just four days later, he was arrested again and accused of firing at least one round into a group of people at Liberty Park.
Perez also is currently facing a federal weapons charge. He has remained in the Salt Lake County Jail since Sept. 12, 2021, according to jail records.
