OGDEN, Utah — The father of one of the teens accused in the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Mason Caballero near Ben Lomond High School has been charged with obstruction of justice, after allegedly helping his son flee Utah and misleading investigators about his whereabouts.
Fernando Renteria, 41, of Ogden, was charged in 2nd District Court with two counts of obstruction of justice involving capital or first-degree felony conduct, both second-degree felonies, according to court documents filed this week.
The charges stem from the October 7 shooting near the high school’s athletic complex that left Caballero dead. Police quickly identified Isaias Emanuel Carranza, 16, as one of the suspects. Carranza was arrested on October 11 and charged as an adult with aggravated murder and 28 other counts. A second juvenile suspect—whose name has not been released—was arrested later that month in connection with the same case.
According to investigators, Renteria is the father of the second juvenile suspect. Charging documents allege that after the shooting, Renteria helped his son and wife leave the state and lied to police about their location.
Evidence From the Investigation
Police executed a search warrant at the Renteria home on October 8, the day after the shooting, and found it empty. Investigators said the family’s closets appeared packed up, leading them to believe they had left town.
Authorities later learned through Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) that Renteria’s wife and son had flown from Las Vegas to Monterrey, Mexico, shortly after the shooting.
When police questioned Renteria and another family member outside their Ogden residence on October 9, both men claimed they did not know where Renteria’s wife or son were. When pressed, Renteria allegedly told officers he didn’t “know English so much,” avoiding further questioning.
Investigators later tracked two family vehicles registered to Renteria, discovering that both had traveled to Las Vegas on the day of the shooting. Surveillance footage from the Las Vegas airport reportedly shows Renteria, another relative, and three additional family members hugging the mother and son before they entered the security checkpoint and boarded a flight to Mexico.
Additionally, cell phone records from October 7 placed a family member at the location where the vehicle used in the murder was abandoned, suggesting that the relative picked up the suspect after the shooting and helped facilitate the escape.
Ongoing Investigation
Renteria’s arrest adds a new dimension to the high-profile case that has rocked the Ogden community and raised concerns about youth violence and family complicity in shielding suspects.
The Ogden Police Department, in coordination with federal agencies, continues to investigate whether others assisted in the escape or concealed evidence.
As the case proceeds, prosecutors emphasized that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Formal charges against the second juvenile suspect are still pending.
If convicted, Renteria could face up to 15 years in prison per count for obstruction of justice.
