Vernal Police identified the suspect in the June 3rd shooting in a press release issued Monday morning. They shared the following: “On Wednesday June 3rd, numerous law enforcement agencies assisted the Vernal Police Department in a Homicide investigation. The investigation identified a suspect which was located and booked into the Uintah County Jail. The suspect, 31 year old Christopher Travis Herrera, was charged with Murder and remains incarcerated.” According to the Affidavit of Probable Cause filed in 8th District Court, after Herrera was medically cleared by ER staff, he was transported to the Vernal City Police Department to be interviewed during which he said the gunshot victim had come to talk with him about a gun that he wanted. Herrera acknowledged to investigators that he shot the male gunshot victim several times with a .22 pistol. While Herrera told investigators that he didn’t mean to kill him he also stated that he believed the victim deserved it. The autopsy revealed that the victim had been shot a total of 8 times, twice from the front and the remaining from behind or above. Monday’s press release from Vernal Police also shared that the investigation continues while additional witnesses are located and evidence is processed and evaluated. “In the interest of maintaining integrity of the investigation and the witness testimony, further details will not be released at this time. The Vernal Police Department would encourage anyone with first-hand information regarding this case to contact law enforcement by calling Central Dispatch at 435 789-4222 or the Vernal Police Department at 435 789-5835.”
