4 charged in Salt Lake home invasion that left 1 intruder dead
SALT LAKE CITY — Four people have been charged in connection with a chaotic incident in which police say they attempted to commit a home invasion robbery that ended in an exchange of gunfire and one of the intruders being killed.
About 7 p.m. on June 6, police were called to the Seasons At Pebble Creek apartment complex, 1616 W. Snow Queen Place (1675 South) in the Glendale neighborhood, on a report of a shooting. Anthony Wheatley, 19, was found with multiple gunshot wounds inside one of the units and died at the scene. Two handguns and several bullet casings were found “scattered across the living room,” according to charging documents.
Three injured people also drove away from the scene in two vehicles. Two of those victims, an 18-year-old man and a 19-year-old man, had been shot. A third man, 21, was also treated at a local hospital after being hit with a gun.
Five people, including Wheatley, participated in a plan to rob and assault two brothers living at the apartment, according to newly released information in charging documents.
One of the brothers had been communicating with Malibu Rose Mawson, who “was adamant about seeing him,” charging documents state. Police later said they learned that Mawson was pretending to be romantically interested in the man so she could get in the door and then let the others in the apartment.
The brother told police he was at first hesitant, but later invited Mawson to come to his apartment. Shortly after she arrived, there was a knock at the door and three men wearing masks — later identified as Wheatley, Erik Virgen, and Preston Luke Olson, entered, the charges state. A fifth person, Jaron Andersen, waited outside the apartment in a car, police say. Wheatley and Virgen are accused of pulling guns out of their waistbands after they entered.
“At least two of the males pointed guns directly at (the brother) and began yelling at him,” according to the charging documents.
The man told police the intruders were “asking him for something and (he) did not know what they wanted.” The gunmen also said they were going to kill him and proceeded to punch, kick and pistol-whip him, the charges state. Police say Olson told them he looked around the apartment for items to steal while Wheatley and Virgen assaulted the man.
A short time later, the man’s brother arrived at the apartment. He recognized Mawson, who was his former girlfriend. He then saw the intruders pointing guns and recognized Virgen from a youth group home. The brother told police that he rushed at Virgen and tackled him, but not before being shot in the chest, according to the charges. Both brothers then fought with the group and were able to take a gun away from one of the intruders.
Shots were then exchanged, including the brothers firing at the intruders with the gun they had taken, according to court documents. Wheatley was killed in the exchange.
The two brothers ran from the apartment after the shooting and drove away. They got lost going to the hospital, however, and pulled over at 1150 S. Redwood Road to flag down another car.
A second car with Olson, who was also shot, was found at 60 S. Redwood before he was also taken to a local hospital. Mawson and Virgen fled to Cedar City, according to charging documents.
On Thursday, Andersen, 19, of Herriman; Olson, 18, of Washington; Virgen, 18, of Springville; and Mawson, 20, of Springville, were each charged with aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony; and aggravated assault, a second-degree felony.
No charges have been filed in connection with Wheatley’s death.
