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Viegas-Gonzalez plea bargain possible in Ogden teen’s shooting death

By Mark Shenefelt - | Nov 16, 2021

BEN DORGER, Standard-Examiner file photo

Daniel Viegas-Gonzalez enters his preliminary hearing on Monday, Oct. 21, 2019, at the Ogden 2nd District Court. Viegas-Gonzalez along with Theron Farmer were charged with aggravated murder after they were accused of killing an Ogden teen earlier in the year.

OGDEN — Attorneys are discussing a potential plea bargain in the case of Daniel Viegas-Gonzalez now that his co-defendant has been convicted in the murder of high school student Kamron Johnson.

A jury on Nov. 4 convicted Theron Farmer, 25, of Ogden, in the Feb. 11, 2019, slaying of the 18-year-old Ben Lomond High School student. Viegas-Gonzalez, 30, of Farmington, was in 2nd District Court on Tuesday before Judge Reuben Renstrom for a pretrial hearing.

Defense attorney Randall Marshall told Renstrom he had not heard from any of the prosecutors since the Farmer trial about a possible plea bargain. A deputy Weber County attorney, Dean Saunders, said prosecutor James Swink “was going to try to talk to everyone. We are trying to work toward a resolution.”

Renstrom said he wanted the attorneys to determine if a plea bargain is possible and if it is not, he wants to schedule a trial, noting that Viegas-Gonzalez has been in jail for almost three years awaiting trial.

“I don’t know if someone is waiting for someone to blink first,” Renstrom said. “Someone is going to have to blink first.”

The judge set another hearing for Dec. 7.

Farmer was convicted of aggravated murder, aggravated attempted murder, aggravated robbery and obstruction of justice. Prosecutors said he planned the robbery of Johnson’s older brother. Both brothers were shot multiple times, the older brother surviving. On the witness stand, Farmer said he only made a drug deal for Viegas-Gonzalez and he was shocked when Viegas-Gonzalez shot the victims.

Viegas-Gonzalez faces identical charges, plus a felony weapons charge.

Farmer’s sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 8, also before Renstrom.

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