SOUTH SALT LAKE, Utah (ABC4 News) – Police have arrested a homeless man they say is a suspect in the death of a woman found in a South Salt Lake parking lot last week.
According to arresting documents, 22-year-old Jovanie Silva was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Saturday on one first-degree felony count of murder.
Documents state detectives responded on September 28 to a report of the body of a woman had been found lying next to a building near the corner of 300 West and Ironwood Dr.
Police said the woman had been severely beaten and was an “obvious victim to a homicide and potential victim of rape.” Police later identified the woman as Kaitlyn Barron, 23, from San Antonio, TX.
Detectives learned there was a camera located across the street. In the video, detectives said they could see two people walking south on 300 West on the west side of the road on Sunday, September 27, just before 5 a.m. Both individuals walked toward the area where the woman was found.
A male in the video is seen carrying a skateboard as they walk out of view but can still be heard on the audio. The woman can be heard saying either “please don’t hurt me” or “please don’t rape me.”
Detectives said they could then hear a popping or impact sound followed by screaming. Police believe that was the sound of her being struck over and over by a large stone that was found at the scene covered in blood.
After several minutes the sounds and screams stop, but the impacts continue, then silence.
Just after 5 a.m. the man walks out carrying his skateboard. Detectives used local business cameras in the area to follow the man after he left the area.
That suspect, later identified as Silva was tracked to the Men’s Homeless Resource Center (HRC) located at 3380 S 1000 West.
A warrant was served and police found Silva had a pair of underwear with blood stains near the waistband and groin area. Due to the violent nature of the woman’s death and the amount of blood on scene, detectives stated it was likely her blood transferred onto Silva’s clothing.
Silva was arrested and is being held without bail. He would not speak with investigators. A background check on Silva shows no criminal history in Utah.