An angry mob ran down a Utah man before beating him to death with wooden blocks and a pole after he beat his pregnant girlfriend and gave her a black eye, authorities said. Fred Valdamar Ortiz, 41, was chased by at least six people behind Smith's grocery store in Magna on Monday afternoon, leaving him death within an hour after hitting his girlfriend, Fox 13reported.
Ortiz's girlfriend had reportedly complained to this group of men about him beating her, following which they chased him out of his home on to the streets before killing him. Police have launched an investigation into the incident.
Tragic Death
Officers with the Unified Police Department said at least five to six people were involved in the attack that Ortiz dead. According to police report, the group of people, whose relationship is not specified, was at the home of Ortiz's girlfriend, who is a dog breeder.
The group reportedly was over her home looking for a puppy when she told them that Ortiz had hit her and gave her a black eye a few days earlier, Fox 13 reported. Two of the people have been identified as Xandre Hill and another woman identified only as Hannah. The group listened to Ortiz's girlfriend's story but even she didn't realize that they would take such a drastic step.
The incident happened around 1:30 pm when the group was still at her home. As they were still inside the home, they saw Ortiz drive by on a scooter. Hannah and Hill stayed behind while Osyeanna Martinez, another in the group, and two other unidentified people, including a 13-year-old, went after Ortiz.
Hannah and Hill got into Hill's car shortly after and reportedly followed the group to the Smith's at 8055 W. 3500 South.
Horror Strikes
The group then surrounded Ortiz. Martinez, hit Ortiz with a Volkswagen Beetle, KUTZ reported. Hannah later told police that when she and Hill arrived at Smith's they saw Ortiz running after being hit by the car.
Hill, Martinez, and another person identified only by the initials E. E. started chasing him, according to police. Ortiz kept running, but his attackers were soon upon him, using a pole while he was on the ground. The three then allegedly started beating Ortiz.
Hannah told police she saw E. E. hitting Ortiz with a pole while he was down on the ground, according to the affidavit. She said she told the dog breeder, who was also apparently nearby, to make the group stop beating Ortiz, but claimed the dog breeder did not.
Surveillance footage from a restaurant nearby showed Martinez throwing two boards at Ortiz's back and head. According to police, all the suspects were in their teens and early 20s.
Hill is also visible in the video, as well as E.E., who is carrying a long pole, and both begin to beat Ortiz, the affidavit says. Afterward, police say Hill, Martinez and E.E. are seen in the footage walking back from where Ortiz was assaulted. E.E. was still holding the pole and Martinez was riding a scooter, along with Hill, who "was looking at his right hand and appeared to wipe it on the front of his shirt," according to the affidavit.
A female identified only by the initials M.P., who was in the car with Martinez when they first went to find Ortiz, later told investigators that Ortiz is her stepfather, the affidavit says. M.P. also said the pregnant woman is her mother, and Ortiz had beaten the woman two days ago.
Multiple adults were arrested in connection with the killing, according to Unified Police Sgt. Melody Cutler. However, she didn't say exactly how many. All are adults in age range from 18 to early 20s. Everyone involved in the incident knew each other and it is not considered a random act, Cutler said.
