SALT LAKE CITY — The family of a Herriman woman have come forward to identify her as the victim of what police are calling a ‘murder/homicide’. Close family friends say her name was Lindha Paola Zerpa Lara, a 43-year-old mother, entrepreneur, and active member of the Venezuelan community in Utah.
KSL found court records showing that Paola legally filed a petition for divorce on Thursday, April 16, just one day before being killed in her home.
Police have not released the names of the two people yet; they say they are still working to notify some family members. They said the female victim appeared to have been killed by blunt force trauma, while the male suspect’s death was self-inflicted. Police found both bodies just after 7:15pm on Friday, April 17, at 4596 West Watchmen Way in Herriman.
Family friends Patricia Quinonez and Fabian Rapalino spoke with KSL with the help of a translator. They spoke on behalf of Paola’s mother who lives in Magna and has been working with police to piece together what happened.
“She was always a bright light for her mom. A person that was always trying to do the best for their community, the Venezuelan community,” Quinonez said…