Murder charges unsealed in Salt Lake City church parking lot fatal shooting

Today, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill announced the unsealing of six felony charges, including two counts of murder, filed against John Vea Uasike, Jr. for a fatal shooting at a church in Salt Lake City on January 7, 2026.

The defendant is charged with:

-Two counts of first-degree felony murder
-Two counts of first-degree felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury
-One count of second-degree felony discharge of a firearm causing bodily injury
-One count of second-degree felony prohibited dangerous weapon conduct


The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office (SLCo DAO) filed the charges under seal on April 9, 2026. California law enforcement took the defendant into custody on April 14, 2026, and he later appeared before a judge there. Today the charges in Utah were unsealed. The defendant is expected to be extradited to Utah.

One of the co-defendants in the case, Ryan Daniel Toutai, was charged by the SLCo DAO on January 20, 2026, with one count of second-degree felony obstructing justice. The SLCo DAO charged the other co-defendant, Ezekiel Isaiah Tai, with one count of second-degree felony obstructing justice on January 26, 2026.

“Gun violence anywhere, much less at a place of worship will not be tolerated in our community. We appreciate the tireless work done by detectives at the Salt Lake City Police Department for their investigation that in conjunction with the work of our prosecutors led to the filing of these charges,” said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill. “We commit that we will pursue accountability for these senseless deaths. We will deliver justice not only for the loved ones of those who were lost, but for all of Salt Lake County.”