A Salt Lake City jury has found 64-year-old Joseph Marquez guilty of first-degree murder in the 2022 shooting that left 38-year-old Nickolas Parks mortally wounded outside a State Street motel after what started as an argument over a cigarette. Jurors returned the verdict on June 4 and also convicted Marquez of obstruction of justice. Sentencing is set for Aug. 6.
The trial opened June 2 and wrapped testimony in just two days before jurors went to work in the deliberation room, reaching the murder verdict in less than three hours. They later deliberated separately on a weapons charge, ultimately acquitting Marquez of possession of a weapon by a restricted person but finding that he qualifies as a “habitual violent offender,” a designation that could increase his prison time. Marquez briefly tried to represent himself at the outset of the trial before asking attorney Lance Bastian to step in, according to KSL.
How the shooting unfolded
The shooting happened on Oct. 11, 2022, at the Wasatch Inn at 1416 S. State Street, after Parks’ girlfriend knocked on Marquez’s door looking for a cigarette, and a verbal dispute escalated. Witnesses told police that as Parks walked away, Marquez shot him in the head; Parks died several days later at a hospital. Security video reviewed by investigators reportedly shows a man identified as Tommy Glasker arriving at the motel, handing Marquez a white bag, and then leaving with him, as reported by Gephardt Daily.
Co-defendant faces charges
Police say Marquez was arrested after the shooting at an apartment tied to Glasker. Prosecutors have charged 75-year-old Glasker with possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, transaction of a firearm as a restricted person, and two counts of obstruction of justice, with his first court hearing scheduled for July 10. Those charges and the upcoming court date were detailed by KSL.
What “habitual violent offender” could mean
Under Utah law, the “habitual violent offender” label is reserved for people with multiple prior violent-felony convictions and can trigger sentencing enhancements that raise the maximum penalty. The definition and potential impact of the classification are laid out in state statute and guide judges when they weigh enhanced prison terms. The statute’s language and structure are available in the Utah Code at le.utah.gov.
The verdict brings the long-running case tied to the Wasatch Inn shooting to a close at the trial stage, but the legal process is not over. Marquez will appear again in court for sentencing in August, and Glasker’s case will begin moving forward at his July hearing. Court filings and hearings in the coming weeks are expected to shed more light on any sentencing enhancements and the timetable for possible appeals or additional proceedings.
