Man admits to killing woman found dead in car at Juab County gas station

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — One of the men arrested in the homicide investigation after a woman's body was found in a car confessed to police that he was the killer.

Police arrested David Manuel Mestas and Richard Anthony Sanchez, both 26-years-old from South Dakota, in connection to the investigation on Sunday following the discovery of the body.

A probable cause statement for Mestas said police arrived to the scene following calls about a fight happening at the Park 'N Pump gas station in Mona just before 1 p.m.

The statement noted that a witness of the fight said they were told there was a body in the car the people fighting had arrived in.

Police arrived and detained three individuals involved in the altercation and found a woman's body in the car.

Police noted that the detained suspects did appear to be under the influence of alcohol or on drugs.

While checking the body, police said they saw a single gunshot wound to the head of the victim.

Four people in total were in the car as it was driving from South Dakota. Two males and two females.

According to the probable causes statement, a prior shooting happened in South Dakota that forced the four to flee the state. They planned on driving to Las Vegas.

During the interview, Mestas admitted to killing the woman, one of the four traveling to Las Vegas, as well as using "methamphetamine heavily." He said, during the ride, he heard the others talking about him and claimed he heard the female victim call him a "snitch."

At some point, Mestas shot the female victim once. He and Sanchez then attempted to hide the body in the back of the car, covering it with discarded items and clothes.

While driving to Las Vegas, the car stopped at the Park 'N Pump and the fight between the suspects broke out.

According to a probable cause statement for Sanchez, he was booked into Juab County Jail on potential charges of obstruction of justice and abuse or desecration of a dead human body.

Mestas was booked into the same facility on potential charges of murder and abuse or desecration of a dead human body.