Most Wanted Newspaper

Photo of Utah Most Wanted Fugitive Jessie Vega from www.sltrib.com

‘Most Wanted’ to feature Utah fugitive
Suspect has eluded capture, and the trail has grown cold; case aired once before
By Nathan C. Gonzalez
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 08/11/2007 01:09:56 AM MDT


Nearly nine years have passed since Trisha Beristain was murdered and her body dumped about a mile up Big Cottonwood Canyon.


The 19-year-old Murray resident died after allegedly being shot by her then-boyfriend, Jessi Vega, who has eluded capture since the November 1998 homicide, said Lt. Paul Jaroscak, a Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office spokesman.


Vega, now 32, faces a first-degree felony charge of murder. He is believed to use the aliases Jesus Mungia and Arturo “Chivo” Munguia.


Detectives hope their search for the alleged killer will get a boost today with the TV show “America’s Most Wanted,” which will air a segment on the case at 7 p.m. A piece highlighting the case first aired in 2004, but it didn’t provide many fruitful leads, Jaroscak said.