Woman arrested in connection to Midvale murder

A second person has been arrested in connection with the August shooting death of a 31-year-old man at a Midvale apartment complex.

Amy Virginia Rowley, 35, was arrested Monday on suspicion of murder and aggravated robbery. She is accused of accompanying Gabriel Gurule, 35, and another unidentified woman to a Midvale apartment when Gurule allegedly shot and killed Justen L. Lefave.

Gurule is being held in the Salt Lake County jail on suspicion of aggravated murder and other charges.

According to police, on Aug. 26, Lefave opened the door to a knock at the State Street apartment he shared with a male roommate and that man's teenage son to see two women, one identified as Rowley.

Rowley and the other woman asked if a fictitious person lived there, according to jail records. When Lefave said no, Gurule allegedly stepped out from behind Rowley and the other female and shot Lefave.

A motive for the shooting remains unclear and witnesses told police they did not know Gurule.

"The impression we get is that [Lefave] didn't know him either," Hoyal said in August.

Utah court records shows Gurule has a criminal history that includes convictions on assault and drug possession charges. In October, Davis County prosecutors filed felony and misdemeanor drug possession charges against Gurule. He made an initial court appearance in Farmington last week and was scheduled for another hearing on Dec. 31.

Rowley also has a criminal history involving multiple drug possession convictions over the last seven years. She has also been convicted in Utah for theft by receiving stolen property and giving false information to a police officer.

Criminal charges had not been filed against Gurule or Rowley as of Tuesday afternoon.

jmiller@sltrib.com

Twitter: @jm_miller