A man charged with first-degree murder in the death of a 7-year-old in Heber City in July will face a trial by jury.
Christopher O’Connell appeared in Fourth District Court in Heber City Wednesday afternoon for a preliminary hearing. Judge Jennifer Brown said there was significant evidence to try him for all charges, including first-degree murder and felony discharge of a firearm.
His lawyer, Rudy Bautista, told KPCW afterward that O’Connell didn’t enter a plea yet, but that he will plead not guilty.
O’Connell was arrested the night of July 10 after 7-year-old Zai Rodriguez-Irizarry died of a gunshot wound while asleep in her bedroom. The bullet passed through an apartment wall her family and O’Connell shared.
Detective Dustin Lazenby of the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office testified that a video showed O’Connell shooting a gun into the wall.
Bautista said O’Connell would challenge the ruling that there was evidence of intent required for the felony discharge of a firearm charge.
In addition to murder and discharge of a firearm, he was charged with three other felonies: purchase, transfer, possession, or use of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, distribution or arrangement to distribute a controlled substance, and sexual battery.
Charges against him also include three misdemeanors related to intoxication and controlled substances.
