WEST VALLEY CITY — Detectives have made an arrest in connection with a shooting death on May 26 in West Valley City.
That’s when WVC police officers responded to the Granger Medical Clinic located at 2965 West 3500 South on a report of a suspicious vehicle.
The officers located a male, deceased in the backseat.
READ: Man found dead in parking lot of West Valley clinic; victim suffered gunshot wound, police say
Through their investigation, detectives were able to locate a juvenile male that had dropped the dead man’s body at the clinic and left, according to a probable cause statement.
The juvenile, identified only as “CN,” told detectives the victim was shot at a residence at 1877 Hyannis Ave in West Valley and the suspect was still at large and lived at the same address.
The juvenile identified the man as 22-year-old Michael Melara and stated he was the one that shot the decedent, the affidavit said.
Malera was located and transported to the West Valley Police Department for an interview. After being advised of and waiving his Miranda rights, Malera admitted to shooting the man, but said it was an accident.
Malera said he was in his pickup truck smoking marijuana and playing with a small revolver he recently purchased. He said he knew the victim and that the victim walked up to the pickup.
Malera pointed the gun at the victim, who then bumped the gun, causing it to fire a single round which hit the victim in the chest, Malera told police.
Malera saw the victim fall to the ground and instructed the juvenile to put the victim in the car he arrived in and drive him to the hospital. The juvenile drove to the Granger Clinic, left the vehicle with the victim inside at the emergency drive up, and ran off. Malera then picked the juvenile up and left the scene.
After interviewing Malera, he was booked into jail on suspicion of second-degree felony manslaughter as well as misdemeanor counts of carrying a dangerous weapon under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
He is being held without bail.
