Kearns man sent to prison for 2022 murder at Salt Lake apartment complex

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Jared Charles Lance was sentenced to 16 years to life prison for a 2022 murder in Salt Lake City.
He was convicted of killing Robert Joseph Barros and committing aggravated robbery.
Lance claimed self-defense but showed no remorse during his sentencing.

SALT LAKE CITY — A Kearns man has been sentenced to prison for shooting and killing Robert Joseph Barros at a Salt Lake apartment complex in 2022.

Jared Charles Lance, 43, was sentenced last month to a term of 15 years to life in prison for murder and five years to life for aggravated robbery, both first-degree felonies. He was also sentenced to two terms of one to 15 years for possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person and obstructing justice, both second-degree felonies.

Third District Judge Adam Mow ordered the sentences to be served concurrent, except for the dangerous weapon charge sentence, which he ordered to be served consecutive to the other prison terms. This means Lance will spend at least 16 years in prison. Lance also received credit for the almost two and a half years he has already spent incarcerated on the charges.

Robert Joseph Barros, 40, was sitting in a parked vehicle at 1790 S. West Temple when a witness said Lance pulled up behind him and shot him.

"And I'm taking this car," the witness heard Lance yell, according to charging documents.

Barros then staggered out of the car before falling to the ground. Lance took Barros' vehicle and drove off, while a second man drove away in the car that Lance had arrived in, police say.

A jury found Lance guilty of the murder following a three-day jury trial.

His attorney, Frank Berardi, called it an "unfortunate shooting," and said he didn't see Lance being involved in something like this with people he didn't know

Deputy Salt Lake County attorneys Brad Cooley and Brandon Simmons said some messages shown as evidence at his trial suggested there was a related shooting shortly before this one when Lance threatened Barros, saying he was next.

Prosecutors said Lance maintained during an interview with Adult Probation and Parole before the sentencing that he was justified in killing Barros because he was defending his family.

Lance spoke to the court before he was sentenced but did not express remorse. During much of his statement, he quoted legal definitions around due process and the Second Amendment.

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