Utah Man Allegedly Killed Girlfriend Over Broken Vape, 'Took Shots' And Called 911

A Utah man who allegedly killed his 20-year-old girlfriend last week following a violent domestic dispute over a broken “vape cartridge” has been jailed on murder charges.

Daniel Padilla-Ang, 26, dialed 911 on March 26 and reported that he had fatally strangled his girlfriend, Sandra Robles at his Orem, Utah apartment. He told dispatchers that he’d been drinking and “needed to be taken in,” according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Oxygen.com.

Upon arrival, Orem police officers found Padilla-Ang in the home’s living room kneeling, facing away from law enforcement, with his hands behind his head. His hands appeared to have blood on them, charging documents also stated. 

Robles was found deceased in a bedroom at the home. She’d sustained extensive facial injuries and her face was swollen and covered in blood.

Padilla-Ang, who subsequently allegedly confessed to murdering his girlfriend numerous times, told investigators he’d choked the young woman to death after they’d gotten into a booze-fueled altercation over a damaged e-cigarette cartridge. 

“Daniel stated the female victim had a vape cartridge that was broken when he grabbed it from her, at which point Daniel said the female victim hit him,” the affidavit alleged. “Daniel said, after he had been hit and pushed by the female victim, he grabbed her neck with his right hand and started to choke her.”

Padilla-Ang allegedly continued to punch his girlfriend in the face and strangle her after she collapsed to the ground during the struggle.

“Daniel stated that as he was choking her he said ‘Die Bitch’ until she was no longer moving,” the affidavit added.

Afterwards, the 26-year-old allgedly said he “took a couple of shots of alcohol” and sent two text messages to family members advising that he’d “just killed someone and that he wouldn’t be seeing them for a while.”

“Daniel admitted numerous times during the interview that he had killed the female victim and that he needed to be locked up,” charging documents also stated.

The Utah man claimed he’d been dating Robles for approximately four months, police said.

Padilla-Ang, who has a lengthy arrest history, also has a history of domestic violence. He was on probation for a pair of prior domestic violence assault convictions at the time of Robles’ murder. Police said he’s been arrested at least five times in the past eight years.

No further information has been released by law enforcement this week. A spokesperson for the Orem Police Department declined to comment on the active homicide case on Wednesday morning when contacted by Oxygen.com.

Padilla-Ang is being held without bail at a Utah County detention facility, according to online jail records obtained by Oxygen.com. The 26-year-old, who is a Mexican national, is also being detained on an ICE hold by Immigration Customs Enforcement, additional records show. 

Padilla-Ang had an initial court appearance on Wednesday. It's unclear if he's retained legal representation to comment on his behalf.