News

Actions

Woman faces homicide charge after drug deal leads to shooting

Posted at 2:35 PM, Dec 12, 2014
and last updated 2014-12-12 16:35:31-05

SALT LAKE CITY – A woman has been booked into jail on charges that include homicide after she allegedly facilitated a drug deal that culminated in a fatal shooting earlier this month.

According to a statement of probable cause from the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Whitney Marie Connor allegedly facilitated the drug deal in the area of 600 East and Leland Avenue on December 4.

The document states Connor entered the victim’s vehicle prior to the drug deal, and when the deal occurred, “a male suddenly opened the driver side door, produced a gun, stole items from inside the vehicle, and then shot the front passenger multiple times.”

The man died on the way to a hospital, and last week officials identified the man as 32-year-old Orlando J. Roybal of South Salt Lake.

A witness who was in the vehicle when the shooting occurred positively identified Connor as being the female they had contacted for the drug deal.

After an interview, Connor told police she had set up the deal for the purpose of buying illegal narcotics from the witness mentioned above. She had the driver come to the area, a dark street in an area known to her.

The document states Connor was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on the following charges: Homicide/murder as a second-degree felony, aggravated robbery as a first-degree felony, and aggravated assault as a first-degree felony.