Two people charged with alleged involvement in Winco parking lot murder

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (KUTV) — Two people were charged Thursday for their alleged roles in the killing of a 17-year-old boy in a Winco parking lot last month.

Bevan Kaujian and Mare Biel were each charged with first-degree premeditated murder, second-degree discharge of a firearm with bodily injury, second-degree obstruction of justice and eight counts of third-degree discharge of a firearm, according to the Salt Lake City District Attorney's Office.

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On July 13, Nyang Mony, Harun Wanthi and the 17-year-old reportedly drove in a Lexus to a gas station in West Valley City, where people gather for car racing on weekends.

When no one else showed up for the race, the three decided to head to downtown Salt Lake City to ride scooters.

On the way, they stopped at the Winco grocery store near 2500 South and 5600 West to find out where they could find the scooters.

Prosecutors said video surveillance showed a dark-colored Infiniti following the Lexus into the parking lot and stopping nearby. Someone fired several shots at the Lexus. One of them, prosecutors said, struck and injured the 17-year-old.

He later died in hospital.

Investigators concluded that Kaujian was driving the Infiniti and Biel fired the shots.

Kaujian was said to have been friends with Wanthi, but a “quarrel” arose over one of Wanthi's ex-girlfriends, the prosecutor said.

The prosecution said the two had argued several times since their separation, and Kaujin had even told several people that he wanted to rob Wanthi.

After the shooting, Kaujin and Biel fled to Omaha, Nebraska, where they were found and arrested.

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