Utah man shoots mother dead at dinner table, then dances with sister, 14, with whom he may have planned murder

Utah man shoots mother dead at dinner table, then dances with sister, 14, with whom he may have planned murder
(Utah County Jail)

A 23-year-old Utah man was arrested by Springville PD on December 24 for shooting dead his mother at the dinner table. Mike Lopez also reportedly danced with his 14-year-old sister after the act, and who authorities believe may have planned the murder along with her brother. The horror show was witnessed by another of the killer's sister, who ran to inform another sister who lived nearby.

Lopez has been listed in the arrest records of Utah County Sheriff's Office, and no bail charge has been posted. According to a report in ABC, the police's probable cause statement said that they received a call from a woman who claimed to have received a call from her younger sister about how their brother had shot their mother dead.

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The younger sister reportedly ran half a block away from home to make the call to their sister who lived in nearby Spanish Fork to inform her about what their brother had done. The police then responded to 900 South 1000 East in Springville to find 43-year-old Victoria Ramirez dead from a wound on her neck. Responding officers found Lopez in the basement bathroom's bathtub, where he was found unresponsive but not injured. 

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The suspect was then taken to the local hospital where a doctor came to the conclusion that Lopez “was faking his condition.” Despite being taken to the Utah County jail to be booked in the afternoon, Lopez continued to act unresponsive and would not speak with officers. A blood test of the suspect revealed that he had THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) in his system at the time of his arrest. His 14-year-old sister was also found on the premises and was safely escorted away. His 17-year-old sister in an interview with the cops said that her brother had approached her mother at the dinner table and pointed a shotgun at her. At this point, he then nodded at his 14-year-old sister just before shooting his mother, indicating that the two of them may have planned this. At this point, the 17-year-old had locked herself in the bathroom and jumped out through a window to run away and inform her sister. 

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She also reportedly believed that the suspect had been supplying the younger sister with marijuana. She also recalled that he was “meditating a lot where he claims to go to different dimensions and [was] talking about a lot of bad people.” She was also the one to inform the cops that Mike and his 14-year-old sister also started to dance right after the shooting.

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When the officers questioned the 14-year-old, she denied being involved and said she was not present when Mike shot their mother as she was in the bathroom. Upon being questioned about dancing with the suspect, she said she “remembered dancing” and even tried to recite the song for the officers. She also denied being aware of Mike's plans to shoot their mother. The police observed strange behavior and said she was "acting very strange” and “did not show any emotion during the interview.”

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Disclaimer : This is based on sources and we have been unable to verify this information independently.

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