Charges for Utah man accused of stabbing brother over ‘snitching’

MURRAY, Utah – A Utah man now faces attempted murder charges in connection with allegedly trying to stab his brother on Christmas Day. Javier Rafael Pedregon-Magana, 24, was arrested on December 26.

According to the Salt Lake County District Attorney, on December 25, a witness called 911 after seeing the unnamed victim in the case get out of a black car on Interstate 15. The witness told emergency responders that he saw a sedan and then try to run over the victim and then drive away.

Law enforcement arrived to find the victim suffering from multiple lacerations and barely conscious. The victim was taken to Intermountain Medical Center.

A family member told police that the victim and defendant spent Christmas together before going home. Then, at 10:35 p.m., the same family member called the victim and said he had been stabbed by the defendant, who then took his car.

The next day, Utah Highway Patrol officers were informed that the defendant was driving around the hospital in the victim’s car. The police tried to stop the vehicle, but the perpetrator fled the scene. Ultimately, the officers managed to stop the car and arrest the accused.

After his arrest, the suspect told police he was asked to kill his brother for $25,000 after the victim allegedly “snitched” and stabbed him.

Pedregon-Magana also told investigators that there was another person in the trunk of the vehicle while they were driving on Interstate 15. He claimed that the person lowered the seats from the trunk into the main part of the car while driving and attacked the victim.

According to the suspect, when the victim exited the car, a third person told him to hit the victim with the car. According to the suspect, he later dropped the person off at another location.

On Monday, the Salt Lake County District Attorney filed charges against Javier Rafael Pedregon-Magana. He faces one count of attempted murder and one count of failing to respond to an officer’s signal to stop.

“We are grateful to the witness who saw the survivor of this brutal crime on the side of the road and reported it to law enforcement to ensure justice is served. Helping stop crime is not only the responsibility of law enforcement, but it is also the responsibility of all members of our community,” said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill. “All persons accused of committing a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a final court judgment.”