Man Crashed a Wedding, Then Fatally Shot the Son of the Bride and Groom By Sean Neumann

A Utah man crashed a couple’s wedding, got into an argument with partygoers and then shot and killed the newlyweds’ son as he tried to fight him.

The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office announced that Guillermo William Herrera was found guilty by a jury of first-degree felony murder on Aug. 22, in connection with the Nov. 6, 2021 shooting death of Oscar Avila Jr. at his parents’ wedding.

Prosecutors said in a news release that Herrera, 23, and two other men allegedly associated with the Dogtown gang had crashed the Avilas’ wedding celebration that night and got into an argument with partygoers after “friends and family of the couple confronted the codefendants and ordered them to leave.” 

“Herrera exited the building and was waiting outside when the codefendants exited, shouting their gang name and arguing with the partygoers,” the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office said. “Once outside, one of the codefendants flashed a pistol he had concealed in his waistband. Herrera also produced a handgun, and the married couple’s son, Oscar Avila, Jr., rushed him.”

The district attorney’s office said “Herrera was captured on video pistol-whipping Avila before Avila fell to the ground.” Then, Herrera “fired a single shot at Avila’s chest before Herrera and the codefendants fled.”

Prosecutors said Avila Jr. died at the scene of the wedding, which took place in Midvale, Utah, about 10 miles south of Salt Lake City.

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Herrera was found guilty of first-degree felony murder, second-degree felony possession of a firearm by a restricted person, second-degree felony obstructing justice, and third-degree felony aggravated assault. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 20, according to the district attorney’s office.

Local KSL reported Herrera was previously sentenced to two concurrent prison sentences of zero-to-five years in connection with a 2020 shooting that left another man paralyzed. In that case, Herrera pleaded guilty to obstructing justice and felony discharge of a firearm, according to the outlet.