Prosecutors say a 25-year-old Magna woman tried to derail the hunt for whoever opened fire in a 2022 West Valley City drive-by that killed an innocent bystander. On Friday, Leslie Diana Figueroa Rodriguez was charged in Third District Court with one count of obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, and prosecutors are asking that she be held without bail. The May 5, 2022, shooting happened near 3500 South and 6400 West and remains unsolved.
What prosecutors allege
Charging documents reviewed by KSL say detectives obtained surveillance video that shows a silver sedan making a U-turn on 6400 West, stopping in front of a home, and gunfire coming from the passenger side before the car speeds away. Investigators then used license-plate reader data to track a Honda described in the paperwork as having prior law-enforcement involvement in that area that night, and they allege Figueroa was behind the wheel.
Victim and cold-case context
The victim, 45-year-old Pete Carlos Robert Ulibarri, was shot on May 5, 2022 and died the following day, according to the Utah Department of Public Safety's cold-cases page. West Valley City police later put up a $10,000 reward for tips in the case, as reported by FOX13.
Alleged false statements and bail request
Prosecutors say Figueroa filed an accident report claiming the Honda had been stolen, a story detectives later concluded was false. They also allege she told officers in May that she had not had a car in years, according to the charging documents cited by KSL. The same documents say prosecutors want her held without bail, pointing to her current probation status, a documented gang affiliation, and her alleged connection to the vehicle linked to the shooting.
Legal stakes
The obstruction of justice charge is being prosecuted as a second-degree felony. Under Utah law, second-degree felonies can bring an indeterminate prison term and fines. As outlined by Utah Courts, that level of felony generally carries a possible prison term of up to 15 years and fines up to $10,000, depending on enhancements and other factors.
What's next
The case is now filed in Third District Court, though an arraignment date did not immediately appear in public court records. West Valley City police and the Utah Department of Public Safety are still looking for answers. Anyone with information is asked to call West Valley detectives at 801-963-3300 or submit tips through the state cold-case tip line listed by the Utah Department of Public Safety.
