This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Police confirm that a man fatally shot during an apparent weekend home invasion likely was intoxicated and confused about where he was when he tried to break in from the balcony of a Pleasant Grove townhouse.
About 5:40 a.m. last Sunday, 24-year-old Christian Chichia's pounding on the front door of the home near 1700 W. 60 South, abruptly awoke the homeowner and his wife.
The husband retrieved a handgun and went to the front door, but by then Chichia — who lived in another townhouse in the same complex, but was a stranger to the homeowner — had climbed onto his second-story balcony. The homeowner went to the balcony and cracked open the door to ask what Chichia wanted. That was when Chichia allegedly tried to force his way in that the homeowner shot him once in the chest.
Chichia was taken to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, but died a short time later.
In the wake of the incident, detectives have gathered evidence and testimony which may indicate Chichia thought he actually was entering a nearby residence he shared with several other roommates.
"We have interviewed all possible and potential witnesses [and] there is a possibility that Chichia was confused and attempted to enter a residence where he thought he was welcome," Pleasant Grove Police Chief Michael Smith told The Tribune late Tuesday. "We will never know what Chichia's intentions were, but there is a possibility that Chichia did mistakenly try to enter into the wrong residence."
Smith stressed that in presenting the investigation's findings to the Utah County Attorney's Office earlier this week, detectives also had "thoroughly investigated ... the homeowners' perspective."
"The homeowners did know an unknown person was trying to forcibly enter their residence. The homeowners reported they were in fear [for] their safety due to the actions of the unknown person trying to force entry into their residence," the chief added.
The case will be screened by county attorneys to determine if the shooting meets statutory requirements for self-defense.
Smith declined to say what specific recommendations his office had made.
Twitter: @remims