Utah Man Shot His Girlfriend in Head, Left Her Body Next to Dumpster for Police to Find, Cops Claim

A Utah woman was found dead near a dumpster and now police say her boyfriend allegedly dumped her there after shooting her in the head.

On Jan. 20, the body of 25-year-old Esperanza Chavez was found leaning against a dumpster in Millcreek, KTVX reported.

The Unified Police said they obtained surveillance footage that allegedly shows 46-year-old Fred Edwards pulling Chavez’s body out of a truck, which broke a passenger-side window.

Edwards tried to put Chavez’s body in the dumpster twice, but when he couldn’t, he leaned the dead woman against the dumpster and left the area, police said.

The truck’s license plate allegedly was captured by surveillance footage, and police determined the vehicle belonged to Edwards, KTVX reported.

Authorities believe Edwards fatally shot Chavez in the truck and then allegedly tried to admit himself to a psychiatric hospital after dumping her body, KSTU reported.

Edwards and Chavez were reportedly in a relationship together. Three months prior to the victim's body getting dumped, Edwards was arrested and accused of abusing Chavez, KTVX reported. Court records show the alleged attack left Chavez with “a hematoma on the left side of her forehead, scratch marks and bruising around her right eye, and a bloodshot right eye.”

According to KATV, police say Edwards is an alleged gang member and has a lengthy criminal history. In 2020, Edwards’ ex-girlfriend ran into a 7-Eleven with a bloody mouth and begged for someone to call 911 because, she claimed, Edwards was going to kill her.

Never miss a story — sign up for the Front Page Detectives newsletter. Be on the scene the moment news breaks.

During the incident ,Edwards allegedly punched the woman and dragged her into a car by her hair. He reportedly also texted his mother and threatened to chop her in half if she told his probation officer, KATV reported.

In the Chavez case, Edwards was arrested and charged with murder, obstruction of justice, and abuse or desecration of a dead human body, officials said.

He was booked into jail and was being held without bail.