A mob of at least six people – one of them reportedly as young as 13 – clubbed a man to death with a metal bar because they believed he had been beating up his girlfriend.
Fred Valdamar Ortiz was found unconscious behind a supermarket by police in Magna, Utah, at around 3:30pm on Monday, June 14.
CCTV showed Ortiz, 41, being deliberately knocked off his scooter by a car believed to have been driven by 19-year-old Osyeanna Maria Martinez.
Martinez, who was also seen on the video apparently throwing metal signs at Ortiz, is in custody on suspicion of murder along with Xandre Sky Hill, who is thought to have beaten Ortiz with a metal bar.
Three other suspects, believed to be minors, are identified in police reports only by their initials.
The attack began after Ortiz’s dog-breeder girlfriend was seen with a black eye by one of the group. They had been visiting her intending to buy a puppy.
While the group talking to Ortiz’s girlfriend, say police, he drove by on a scooter. The six then decided to give chase.
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One of the group later told police that when they caught up to Ortiz, a car driven by Martinez, 19, struck him.
Ortiz tried to flee, reports Fox 13, but the attackers managed to catch up with him and knocked him to the ground. They then started hitting him with a metal pole.
Hill 18, confessed to police that he had punched Ortiz and tackled him to the ground, but denied being the suspect seen using the iron pole to hit him.
Another suspect, reportedly related to the deceased, told police that Ortiz regularly beat his girlfriend but that the family was scared to tell police because he is on parole and "his probation officer will not do anything to lock him up."
Martinez and Hill have both been jailed on suspicion of murder. There are no details currently available on the other four assailants.
If you have been affected by issues of domestic violence or coercive control you can call Refuge 's 24-Hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline for free. The number is 0808 2000 247
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