Utah

Man pleads guilty to murdering University of Utah football player Aaron Lowe

Published

2 years ago

March 13, 2024

Man pleads guilty to murdering University of Utah football player Aaron Lowe

The man accused of fatally shooting University of Utah football player Aaron Lowe pleaded guilty to murder charges on Monday, more than two years after police say he killed the cornerback outside a rowdy house party in Salt Lake City.

Buk Mawut Buk, now 25, pleaded guilty to Lowe’s murder and the attempted murder of a woman injured in the shooting on Sept. 26, 2021, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said.

Police say he fired multiple shots at the two during a heated argument after the football player asked Buk’s friends to move their car.

As Lowe, 21, and Fuamoli Pomale, 20, lay on the ground bleeding, witnesses watched in horror as Buk continued to shoot at them, according to court documents.

Buk is scheduled for sentencing on April 29 and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years to life in Utah State Prison.

In exchange for pleading guilty, the judge dismissed additional charges of obstruction of justice and possession of a weapon by a restricted person, since he was already on probation.

“Though perfect justice would mean that Mr. Lowe was alive and the other victim did not have to live with injuries that will last a lifetime, we hope this conviction helps the loved ones of Mr. Lowe and the second victim feel they have received some measure of justice,” Gill said Monday.

The sophomore cornerback’s death came less than a year after his teammate Ty Jordan died of an accidental, self-inflicted gunshot wound on Christmas night in 2020.

The two had been high school friends and football teammates in their hometown of Mesquite, Texas, before they came to play for Utah. Lowe switched his college jersey to Jordan’s No. 22 after the running back’s death and was the first recipient of a memorial scholarship established in his honor.

About nine months after Jordan’s death, the Utes again mourned for one of their own after an off-campus house party meant to celebrate their win over Washington State erupted into violence.

Uninvited guests, including Buk, showed up to the private party and began causing commotion, police said.

Lowe and Pomale tried to leave the party just after midnight but found their car blocked by another vehicle.

As they argued with a group of men who refused to move their car, Buk walked across the street to retrieve a gun from another man and began shooting, court documents state.

Lowe died at the scene. The Utah State Medical Examiner’s Office later recovered four bullets from his body, according to the autopsy.

Pomale survived after receiving emergency surgery for multiple gunshot wounds to her neck and chest.

Buk, arrested that October in Draper, was already on probation for two robberies, including one in which authorities say he robbed a father and daughter at gunpoint.

Salt Lake City police said at the time of his arrest for the shootings that Buk had an “extensive violent criminal history” dating back to at least 2017.

Source link

Related Topics:athletes College College Football deaths Featured murders Sports

Click to comment

Utah

The calculus of charity: 20,000-pound LDS donation equals 15,000 meals for 9,000 people

Published

1 hour ago

March 6, 2026

Press Room

The calculus of charity: 20,000-pound LDS donation equals 15,000 meals for 9,000 people

Southern Utah shipment is part of the faith’s yearlong celebration of the Declaration of Independence.

(Mark Eddington | The Salt Lake Tribune) Movers load part of a donation of 20,000 pounds of food to Switchpoint’s St. George food pantry by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Thursday, March 5, 2026.

Source link

Utah

Utah Blanks Philadelphia, 3-0 | Utah Mammoth

Published

13 hours ago

March 6, 2026

Press Room

Utah Blanks Philadelphia, 3-0 | Utah Mammoth

Schmaltz’s 24 goals this season are a new career-high. He’s been a consistently strong presence and has taken on more responsibility with the switch from wing to center. His goal on the power play came just eight seconds into the man-advantage and opened the scoring early in the second period. In addition to his goal, he had an assist on Utah’s second goal of the game. Tourigny discussed Schmaltz’s maturity following the win.

“He’s a mature person, mature man,” Tourigny explained. “He really wants to make a difference. I always say about Schmaltz, (he’s) a gamer. He wants to play in those moments, and I think he’s excited about where our team is at, and he wants to be a big part of it, and he is. He’s a huge leader for us.”

Utah held Philadelphia to 16 total shots: four in the first period, seven in the second, and five in the third. The Mammoth showed their strong defensive game in the win.

“I think that’s when we’re at our best, when we’re defending hard,” Schmaltz said. “We’re playing with a lot of pace, not giving them time and space, frustrating them, and making them force plays, and then we turn it over and go the other way.”

On the flip side, against a stingy Philadelphia defense, Utah generated 23 shots including 14 in the second period. Schmaltz spoke to what led to the increased opportunities in the middle frame.

“A little bit more direct,” Schmaltz shared. “I think our transition game was really good. We were catching them, kind of hemming them in. Good line changes and just rolling them over and shooting a little bit more.”

In addition to Schmaltz’s goal, Captain Clayton Keller scored his 19^th of the season seven and half minutes after his linemate’s tally to increase the score to 2-0. Michael Carcone’s empty net goal with 1:48 left in regulation secured the 3-0 win.

Additional Notes from Tonight (per Mammoth PR)

The Mammoth’s power play went 1-for-2 against the Flyers. Utah has scored seven power play goals in seven games (7-for-18, 38.9%). On the other side of special teams, the Mammoth’s penalty kill went 3-for-3.

JJ Peterka played his 300^th NHL game. Peterka was selected 34th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft and is the ninth player from his draft class to reach the milestone. He is also just the eighth German-born forward in NHL history to accomplish the feat.

Keller has recorded 11 points in his last seven games (2/2-3/5: 3g, 8a), finding the scoresheet in six of those contests.

With two assists tonight, Dylan Guenther has posted his second straight multi-point outing (3/3 at WSH: 1g, 1a) and his third in five games (2/25 vs. COL: 2g).

Utah has won the first two games of a five-game road trip. Up next, the Mammoth travel to Columbus and face the Blue Jackets on Saturday night.

Upcoming Schedule

Source link

Utah

22-year-old arrested in Utah in connection to Las Vegas double-homicide

Published

1 day ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

22-year-old arrested in Utah in connection to Las Vegas double-homicide

LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Officials have identified a 22-year-old man as the suspect in a Las Vegas homicide case that killed two people in a Southern Highlands neighborhood.

Detectives say 22-year-old Ziaire Ham was the suspect in the case. According to officials, Ham was located on Tuesday, March 3, by the Ogden City Police Department and the Utah Highway Patrol.

Ham was taken into custody and booked into the Weber County Jail. Las Vegas authorities said he will be charged with open murder with the use of a deadly weapon and will be extradited back to the valley.

MORE ON FOX5: LVMPD corrections officer arrested on multiple felony charges

The shooting occurred Monday night at the 11000 block of Victoria Medici Street, near Starr Ave and Dean Martin Drive.

According to police, officers were conducting a vehicle stop in the area when they heard gunfire. After searching nearby neighborhoods they found a car with bullet impacts with a woman and a toddler inside suffering from gunshot wounds.

The pair were transported to hospital where they later died. The Clark County Coroner’s Office identified them as Danaijha Robinson, 20, and 1-year-old Nhalani Hiner.

Source link