Maryvale serial shooter

The Maryvale serial shooter (also known as the Serial Street Shooter)[1] is a serial killer who was linked to twelve separate shootings resulting in nine deaths and three injuries across Phoenix, Arizona in 2015 and 2016, mainly in the Maryvale neighborhood.[2][3]

Maryvale serial shooter
Other namesThe Serial Street Shooter
Details
Victims9 killed, 3 wounded
Span of crimes
August 12, 2015–July 11, 2016
CountryUnited States
State(s)Arizona (Phoenix)

On May 8, 2017, Aaron Saucedo was charged with the shootings, and an additional two homicides.[4]

Timeline of shootings

2015

The first shooting occurred on August 12 at 900 E. Colter St.[4]

The first homicide, that of 61-year-old Raul Romero, occurred on August 16, 2015. He was shot multiple times in his driveway. This was the first shooting which suspect Aaron Saucedo (see below) was originally charged.[4]

2016

On January 1, 22-year-old Jesse Olivas was shot to death on a sidewalk at 2200 N. 58th Dr.[4]

On March 17, near 1100 E. Moreland St., a 16-year-old boy was shot and wounded while walking down the street at about 11:30 p.m. This was believed to be the first shooting during the original investigation.[5]

On March 18, at 11:30 p.m., a 21-year-old man was shot and wounded while standing outside his vehicle at 4300 N. 73rd Ave.[5]

On April 1, 21-year-old Diego Verdugo-Sanchez was shot and killed at around 9:00 p.m. while visiting his pregnant fiancée and her family.[5][6]

On the early morning of April 19, 55-year-old Krystal Annette White was found shot to death at 500 N. 32nd St.[5]

On June 1, at 9:50 p.m., 32-year-old Horacio Pena was shot to death outside his house at 6700 W. Flower St. after returning home from work.[5][6]

On June 10, at 9:30 p.m., 19-year-old Manuel Castro Garcia was killed outside his house.[5][6] A police officer nearby heard the gunshots and rushed to the scene, but the killer had already fled.[7]

On June 12, at 2:35 a.m., the shooter opened fire on an unoccupied vehicle at 6200 W. Mariposa Drive.[5] Approximately half an hour later, the shooter killed 33-year-old Stefanie Ellis and her 12-year-old daughter Maleah outside their home. Their 31-year-old friend Angela Linner was also shot; she initially survived, but died from her wounds three weeks later.[5][6][8]

On July 11, the shooter opened fire on a car occupied by a 21-year-old man and a four-year-old boy, but neither was injured.[6]

Investigation

The murders of Verdugo-Sanchez, Pena, Garcia, and the triple homicide were linked together due to the fact that they all occurred in Maryvale and due to similarity in modus operandi.[9] The other shootings were later connected based on M.O. and location as well, though the murder of White and the first shooting occurred outside of Maryvale.[2]

A suspect was described by witnesses as a lanky dark-haired man in his early 20s.[2][3] He was also described as being under 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) tall and Latino.[10] However, police have not been able to rule out the possibility of multiple people being involved in the killings, as a car possibly containing more than one person was seen leaving the scene of two of the shootings,[2][7] and three gunmen were reported by witnesses to have carried out the killings of the Ellises and Linner.[9] However, police have stated that it is "unlikely" multiple people are involved in the killings.[7]

The suspect is believed to be using multiple vehicles, including a black BMW 5 Series and a white Cadillac or Lincoln.[3][6]

A composite sketch of the shooter was released by authorities on August 3.[8]

Police released recordings of 9-1-1 calls related to the case on October 19 in an attempt to stir up more leads for the case.[11] In December 2016, they said they had no active leads in regards to the investigation.[12]

Psychological profile

FBI criminal profiler Brad Garrett believed that the shooter is a "thrill killer" and is seeking "intimacy" in the attacks as he shoots the victim from close range. Garrett also believed that the shooter is likely inserting himself in the investigation or attending police-community meetings about the killings.[13]

2017 developments

Frank Taylor

The Phoenix Police Department commented publicly in March 2017 that Frank Taylor was a potential suspect in the shootings. He was killed after attempting to rob a woman at gunpoint a few weeks after the last known shooting; the would-be victim fatally shot him with her own gun, which she carried in a holster on her hip. After his death, Taylor was identified by several people as a potential suspect.[14]

Aaron Saucedo

On April 22, 2017, a "person of interest" (POI) in the case was taken into custody on unrelated charges. The 21-year-old man who was targeted in the final known shooting had been shown a line-up of six potential suspects, one of whom was the POI later taken into custody.[15]

The POI was identified two days later as 23-year-old Aaron Saucedo, who had initially been arrested for the 2015 murder of 61-year-old Raul Romero, who was a friend of his mother. A 9mm Hi-Point pistol owned by Saucedo was confirmed, through ballistics, to be the same weapon that killed Romero.[16] Saucedo also owned a black BMW 5 Series sedan, the same type of car that the shooter was reported to have been driving, and bore a resemblance to the composite sketch of the shooter released by police.[1][17]

Raul Romero was shot to death with the same type of weapon used in the Phoenix freeway shootings, a similar crime spree in 2015. However, the Arizona Department of Public Safety denied Saucedo had any link to those shootings, and that they still considered another man as a suspect.[1] Police said there was no evidence to link Saucedo with those shootings as well.[17]

Saucedo was arraigned for the murders on May 8.[4] Initially, he was only charged with the murder of Raul Romero. However, on June 30, he received an additional eight counts of first-degree murder, six counts of committing a drive-by shooting, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault, and one count each of endangerment and discharging a firearm at a structure.[18] On July 6, Saucedo pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.[19] His court appearances were frequently postponed, with the latest scheduled date being November 29, 2017.[20] His trial is now scheduled for 2021.[21]

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See also
  • Serial Shooter, a serial killer duo in Phoenix in 2005–2006 who had a similar M.O.

General:

References
  1. Staahl, Derek; Loew, Morgan; Rossi, Donna (April 26, 2017). "'Person of interest' identified in Phoenix Serial Street Shooter case; DPS denies link to freeway shooter case". AZ Family. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  2. "Phoenix police: 7 dead in 8 attacks by "serial street shooter"". CBS News. Associated Press. July 13, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  3. Billeaud, Jacques (August 3, 2016). "Police Tie 9th Attack to Phoenix's Serial Killer Case". ABC News. Associated Press. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  4. "Phoenix serial street shootings: Aaron Saucedo facing charges in shootings". ABC 15. May 8, 2017. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  5. Thomas, Jennifer (July 12, 2016). "Police: Serial killer behind 8 shootings, 7 deaths in Phoenix". CBS5AZ. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  6. Connor, Tracy (August 4, 2016). "Phoenix Serial Killer Struck a Ninth Time, Police Say". NBC News. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  7. Staahl, Derek (August 15, 2016). "Cop heard serial killer shoot, kill 19-year-old victim". CBS 5 AZ. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  8. Yan, Holly; Moshtaghian, Artemis; Park, Madison (August 4, 2016). "Phoenix police: Suspected serial killer linked to 9 shootings, 7 deaths". CNN. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  9. Cassidy, Megan (June 21, 2016). "Police: 5 west Phoenix homicides likely connected". AZ Central. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  10. Egan, Leigh (August 6, 2016). "Phoenix Serial Killer: 9 Shootings, 7 Deaths, Police Offer $50K Reward For Capture". The Inquistir. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
  11. Billeaud, Jacques (October 29, 2016). "Phoenix serial killer 911 calls disclosed in bid for leads". KPNX. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
  12. Harris, Chris (December 29, 2016). "No 'Active' Leads in the Hunt for Phoenix's Suspected Serial Killer Who Killed 7". People Magazine. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  13. Volentine, Jason (August 17, 2016). "Profiler: Phoenix serial shooter looking for thrill in attacks". ABC 15. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  14. Goodman, Amanda (March 15, 2017). "New details in Serial Street Shooter case as anniversary approaches". AZ Family. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
  15. Loew, Morgan; Staahl, Derek (April 22, 2017). "'Person of interest' in custody in Phoenix 'Serial Street Shooter' case". AZ Family. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  16. Enea, Joe (April 22, 2017). "Police make arrest in Phoenix cold case murder from 2015". KNXV. Scripps TV Station Group. ABC15 Arizona. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  17. Connor, Tracy (May 8, 2017). "Suspect Aaron Saucedo Arrested in Phoenix Serial Shootings". NBC News. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  18. Cassidy, Megan (June 30, 2017). "Aaron Saucedo officially charged in 'Serial Street Shooter' murders". AZ Central. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  19. Jeong, Yihyun (July 6, 2017). "Aaron Saucedo pleads not guilty to murder charges in Phoenix 'Serial Street Shooter' case". AZ Central. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  20. Kiefer, Michael (October 24, 2017). "Judge: Media may photograph 'Serial Street Shooter' suspect". AZ Central. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  21. https://www.abc15.com/news/local-news/investigations/new-lead-prosecutor-named-in-serial-street-shooter-case
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