Steve Martos

Pricey Colt AR-15 Assault Rifle Among Guns Turned in at Phoenix Police Buyback Event

After New Times writer Matthew Hendley reported that Phoenix police took in an assault rifle at last weekend's "buyback" event, we were curious what kind of gun it was. Turns out that, in exchange for a $200 gift certificate, an anonymous donor gave up a Colt AR-15 believed to be good condition, a ... More >>

Phoenix Police Took in 803 Guns in Latest Buyback, but Just One Assault Rifle

Phoenix police took in 803 guns in this past weekend's buyback program, but just one assault rifle was turned in.Phoenix Police Sergeant Steve Martos gave us the final count from this past weekend's buyback event, which includes 442 handguns, 162 shotguns, 198 rifles, and the lone assault rifle.See ... More >>

Phoenix Police Took in at Least 800 Guns in Latest Buyback

Phoenix police estimate that more than 800 guns were turned in during this weekend's buyback event, billed as being the biggest gun-buyback event in the history of Arizona.Those guns will all be destroyed, since the new law preventing the destruction of guns turned over during buyback events in Ariz ... More >>

Phoenix Teen Dead After He and Brothers Use Rocks and Knives Against Neighbor With a Gun

A Phoenix teenager is dead and his two brothers are in jail, after they allegedly went after their neighbor -- who had a gun -- with knives and large rocks.Phoenix police Sergeant Steve Martos says the man who fatally shot 17-year-old Theodore Curley on Saturday night was questioned and released by ... More >>

Phoenix Man Shot and Killed After Apparently Tossing Gasoline on an ADOT Employee

A 43-year-old man was shot and killed in Phoenix last night by an Arizona Department of Transportation employee in an apparent self-defense shooting.This apparent self-defense shooting doesn't seem to be nearly as questionable as those featured often in national news coverage, as police say Quentine ... More >>

Phoenix Man Dead After Sister's Gun Goes Off While Posing for Gangsta Photo

Phoenix police say a man was killed on New Year's Eve after being accidentally shot by his sister, who was playing with a gun while the two were posing for photos.Judging by the previous photo to the right of now-deceased 22-year-old Manuel Ortiz, this situation is not incredibly hard to believe.See ... More >>

Dead Man in Drug Shooting Started Fight, Records Show, But All Involved May be Charged With Murder

The man shot dead in a Phoenix apartment gunfight on December 20 apparently started the trouble when he tried to rob the men selling him 150 pounds of marijuana, records show. Phoenix police are seeking the public's help in finding two suspects still outstanding from the incident, Julio Gonzalez Va ... More >>

Phoenix DJ Austin Head's Assault Designated as Anti-Gay Hate Crime

Police say the assault of Phoenix DJ, activist, and former New Times clubs editor Austin Head and a friend -- which was detailed this morning on our music blog, Up on the Sun -- was an anti-gay hate crime.Phoenix police Sergeant Steve Martos says the case has been designated as a "bias crime," and t ... More >>

Phoenix Man Loads U-Haul Truck Full of Stuff, Drives a Few Blocks, U-Haul Explodes

Imagine putting just about everything you own in a U-Haul truck to move out-of-state, and just a few blocks after saying goodbye to the old house, the truck explodes.That's what happened in the area of 51st Avenue and Loop 101 this morning, and the driver's stuff went just about everywhere.

Light Rail Ninja Kairo: Hero, or Disaster Waiting to Happen?

Now that more than 500,000 people have seen the YouTube video of Phoenix's light rail ninja "Kairo" breaking up a fight, it's caused some debate.Some people think it's pretty awesome that "Kairo" put the kibosh on the light rail fisticuffs, while others think it's a really bad idea to be using a swo ... More >>

Light Rail Ninja Goes by the Name "Kairo"

The man who broke up a fight on the Metro Light Rail using a samurai sword a few weeks ago goes by the name "Kairo."It's not his real name -- at least, not the name that government entities would refer to him by -- but he is a 26-year-old Phoenix resident.See also:-Phoenix Police Investigating Light ... More >>

Phoenix Police Investigating Light-Rail Ninja Incident

Despite the initial report, Phoenix police say the incident involving a guy with a Samurai sword on the Metro Light Rail was reported, and it's under investigation.Phoenix police Sergeant Steve Martos says the incident appears to have occurred around 2 a.m. on October 13, which wasn't really clear b ... More >>

Crying Baby Found Next to Murdered Mom in Phoenix Home

​A Phoenix woman's 10-month-old baby was found crying in a Phoenix home last night as she sat next to the bodies of her murdered mother and her mother's boyfriend.The victims have been identified as 24-year-old Marilyn Guerra and Dylan Bell, who's in his mid-20s.Phoenix police say officers respond ... More >>

Murder/Suicide Suspected in Crying Baby Deaths

​Phoenix Sergeant Steve Martos confirms to New Times that the deaths of two people found in a Phoenix home last night is suspected to be a case of murder/suicide.Martos says it appears Dylan Bell fatally shot 24-year-old Marilyn Guerra before turning the gun on himself.When the bodies were found, ... More >>

Man, 19, Shot 'For Unknown Reason' While Driving Through Phoenix Park

​A 19-year-old Phoenix man is in "extremely critical condition" after reportedly getting shot in the head while driving through a Phoenix park last night.Phoenix Sergeant Steve Martos says the victim and a 17-year-old friend were driving through a park at 3100 West Morten Avenue in Phoenix about 8 ... More >>

Joe Arpaio's Latest Victim: Phoenix Police Issue Statement

PPD says, according to the preliminary info it has, PPD's officers did not Tase Marty Atencio The following is a statement issued by Phoenix Police Department spokesman Steve Martos, regarding the arrest of Ernest "Marty" Atencio.Martos states that Atencio was arrested for assault after displaying s ... More >>

Joe Arpaio's Latest Victim Rushed to Hospital (w/Updates, Including Victim's Name and Mugshot)

More bad news for Arpaio, coming at the most inopportune time...Note: For Updates, including the name and mugshot of the victim, see below.Following on the heels of a report by the U.S. Department of Justice condemning the MCSO for engaging in "discriminatory policing" and blasting its treatment of ... More >>

No Motive Or Suspect in Fatal Shooting of Phoenix Resident Armando Salazar

Just after midnight today, Armando Salazar heard someone knocking loudly on the front door of his west Phoenix home. He opened the door, but left closed the outer security door.Several bullets suddenly penetrated the security door and struck Salazar. His wife, also in the home at the time, was uninj ... More >>

Gaylord Sports Management Accused of Using Porn Star to Lure Athletes; Same Agency Employed Guy Who Cops Say Tried to Arrange Threesome With 14-Year-Old

WikipediaPorn star Bibi Jones claims a Valley sports agent used her to lure potential clients.​Gaylord Sports Management -- a Scottsdale-based talent agency for professional athletes -- has a little work to do on the PR front; in addition to once employing a guy who's currently accused of trying t ... More >>

Murder/Suicide Suspected in Phoenix Trailer Deaths

​Two dead bodies were found in a Phoenix trailer home last night, and the cops suspect it to be a murder/suicide.Phoenix Sergeant Steve Martos says police were called to a trailer in the 2600 block of East Morrow Drive about about 7 p.m. after an elderly man found the body of a woman inside the tr ... More >>

Phoenix Mom Suspected of Using Methadone to Treat 2-Year-Old's Toothache

www.thechive.com​When a baby's teeth are coming in, parents will often rub a little rum on the baby's gums to dull the pain. A Phoenix mom is suspected of opting for a different remedy -- police suspect she gave her 2-year-old baby methadone to treat a toothache.Phoenix police haven't revealed the ... More >>

Occupy Phoenix Day Six: Cesar Chavez Plaza Looks Like Scooby-Doo Ghost Town

James King (Crickets...)​It's day six of the "Occupy Phoenix" demonstration in Cesar Chavez Plaza, and there are now officially more protest signs than there are actual protesters.We dropped by this afternoon to see how the occupation was going -- we weren't shocked to find the crowd d ... More >>

Scott Saffell, Tempe Police Officer, Dies on Personal Motorcycle After Ahwatukee Collision

​Tempe police officer Scott Saffell, 40, died yesterday afternoon in Ahwatukee after his personal motorcycle collided with a car that made a left-hand turn in front of him.This is one reason riding a motorcycle is risky: Other drivers. And the "car-makes-left-turn" collision is one of the most fea ... More >>

Suspected Kid-Diddler Found Dead in Pool. Cops Think Suicide

​Phoenix police found the body of a man in the bottom of his pool last night who just happened to be a suspected kid-diddler.Phoenix Sergeant Steve Martos tells New Times that detectives went to the Phoenix home of 58-year-old James Ziarnick about 9 p.m. yesterday to talk to him about an investiga ... More >>

Phoenix Firefighter Mark Nehrenz Hit a Kid With His Truck and Didn't Bother to Stop. Cops Suspect He Was Drunk

​Phoenix firefighter Mark Nehrenz was arrested Saturday afternoon after he hit a teenager with his truck and then just drove off, according to police.The victim suffered a broken hip and is expected to recover.According to court records obtained by New Times, police suspect that Nehrenz was drunk ... More >>

Victim Identified in Last Night's Freeway Shooting. Suspect Still Loose

Phoenix Police DepartmentMichael Arvallo (right) at Pat's Run.​Phoenix police have identified the victim in a fatal shooting last night on the I-10 -- which forced the highway to be closed until about 8:30 this morning -- as 49-year-old Michael Arvallo.Phoenix Sergeant Steve Martos says the shooti ... More >>

"Mysterious" Phoenix Fireball Not a UFO. Probably Just a Boring Meteor, According to NASA *VIDEO*

According to NASA, the above photo likely is of a meteor, not a UFO.​The "mysterious" fireball that was seen in the skies over Phoenix last night probably was just a meteor, according to NASA scientists.The strange flash happened about 7:40 p.m. and was seen as far away as Los Angeles.If you ... More >>

Mysterious Light Seen Over Valley; KPHO's Report, and the Phoenix P.D.'s (Perfect) Response

www.ledzeppelin.com​You may have witnessed a mysterious light flash over Phoenix earlier tonight. Apparently, a lot of people did. We didn't -- but a "slew" of KPHO viewers, and Phoenix Sergeant Steve Martos, the Phoenix P.D.'s Air Unit, and several other Phoenix police officers certainly did.Of t ... More >>

Kid, 6, Left in Hot Van for More Than an Hour, Cops Say; Intellectually Disabled Kid is Fine, Workers for Service are Being Investigated

​A driver and an aide for a school for a Phoenix school for intellectually disabled kids left a 6-year-old in a hot van yesterday for more than an hour, police say."We think it's extremely lucky for this kid," says Phoenix police Sergeant Steve Martos. "It was over 100 degrees yesterday and he was ... More >>

Jason Dubin, Valley Sports Agent, Tried to Lure Teen Girls For Threesome

MCSOValley sports agent Jason Dubin​For fictional sports agent Jerry Maguire, it was "show me the money!" For non-fictional Valley sports agent Jason Dubin, it's apparently more like show me the two underage girls willing to double-up on me for some oral sex.Dubin got popped yesterday after police ... More >>

TSA Gropings: Tables Have Turned Thanks to Yukari Miyamae, Charged With Grabbing Inspector's Breast

MCSOYukari Miyamae. Hero?​A woman trying to board an airplane at Phoenix's Sky Harbor Airport's terminal four (allegedly) turned the tables on a Transportation Security Administration officer: she (allegedly) grabbed the agent's breast.Phoenix police say 61-year-old Yukari Miyamae grabbed the brea ... More >>

Punks Target 71-Year-Old Medical Marijuana Applicant for Burglary Attempt. Victim Only Had Small Amount of Weed

​A 71-year-old Phoenix man recently applied for a medical-marijuana card -- which apparently was all it took to make him a target for a few punks looking to steal some medical weed.According to the Phoenix Police Department, about 5:30 p.m. yesterday, a neighbor of the victim's called 9-1-1 to ... More >>

Medical Marijuana Is Under Attack in Arizona Again -- But This Time, Voters and Patients Hold the High Ground

Cab Driver Faces Aggravated Assault Charge in Argument Turned Hit and Run; Witnesses Say Gas Station Hot Dogs at Center of Dispute

MCSOJoseph Goldmeer​The victim of a hit and run yesterday afternoon remains in "extremely critical condition," and the cab driver who allegedly ran him over faces assault charges, Phoenix police now say.Phoenix police confirm that they believe that when 41-year-old cab driver Joseph Goldmeer ran o ... More >>

Scammers Renting Out Homes. The Problem: They Don't Actually Own Them

www.warriorforumsucks.com​If you're in the market to lease a rental home, a good rule of thumb is to make sure the person from whom your renting actually owns the house.This bit of advice is compliments of the Phoenix Police Department, which is warning the public about a scam where people a ... More >>

Medical Marijuana Claims its First Arizona Death: a Medical Marijuana Thief Shot During Weed Robbery

​Larry Miller, 38, tried to rob medical marijuana from a Phoenix man yesterday afternoon, which was a colossal mistake -- the man he tried to rob fatally shot him.According to the Phoenix Police Department Miller and another man contacted a guy who'd been advertising himself as a medical marijuana ... More >>

Phoenix Pawn Shop Robbery Leads to Car Chase, Car Crash, Home Invasion, Kidnapping of a Mother and Her 5-Year-Old Son, and Three Arrests

​Some people just don't know when to give up -- like the three men arrested in Phoenix today after the cops say they committed an armed robbery at a pawn shop, then proceeded to lead police on a car chase, break into a house, kidnap a woman and her 5-year-old son, and hold them hostage as the ... More >>

Third Vehicle Crashes Into Phoenix Home in Less Than Two Years; Latest Wreck Ended With Truck in Pool

​The residents of a north Phoenix home may want to consider moving -- early this morning, for the third time in two years, a vehicle crashed into their property, this time into their pool.According to the Phoenix Police Department, about 1:40 a.m. today, a man described by police only as a 32-year ... More >>

Police Looking for Ex-Boyfriend of Murdered Phoenix Woman; Say He's an "Investigative Lead"

If you've seen 53-year-old Wade Ridley, call the cops. He may know something about the murder of his ex-girlfriend.​The Phoenix Police Department is asking the public's help in tracking down a man it's referring to as an "investigative lead" in the murder of a Phoenix woman yesterday.Investigators ... More >>

Triple Homicide Victims Found Near Salt River Bottom Identified

Phoenix Police DepartmentAdrian Moreno's Jeep​The bodies of three men found dead near the Salt River bottom were identified by Phoenix police Tuesday. The men, thought to be victims of a triple homicide, were identified as Adrian Moreno, 38, Raul Piziarro, 28, and Jimmy Alejandro Villa, 23.

Armed Robbery Suspect Bites Officer During Arrest. Other Suspect Tries to Use Officer's Taser on Cops

MCSO Mark Blocksom bit a cop. His face is the result.​A pair of armed robbery suspects didn't go quietly when they were arrested Tuesday afternoon -- one of the men bit a cop while the other attempted to use the Taser of another officer to shock his way to freedom.According to court documen ... More >>

Baby From Arizona Found Dead in Box in Texas

​A baby, reportedly from Arizona, has been found dead in a box shipped to southern Texas.According to KNES in San Antonio, Texas, the baby was found in a box shipped to a clothing distribution center in McAllen, Texas, at some point in the last 24 hours.Given the latest twists and turns in the Bab ... More >>

Double Homicide/Dog-icide/Suicide to Blame for Four Bodies Found in Phoenix Home

​Phoenix police released the names of the three people found dead in a Phoenix home yesterday afternoon, and it appears to them that this is a double homicide/suicide -- with a side of dog-icide.Police got a call about 2:30 p.m. yesterday from a neighbor of 81-year-old Richard Schmalenbac ... More >>

Kelly Jaeger's Alleged Killers: Phoenix PD Issues Circumspect Press Release

Alleged Vinlander Aaron "Ghost" Schmidt, charged with first degree murder in the Jaeger killing The Phoenix Police Department has finally issued a press release in the racially-motivated shooting of Kelly Jaeger, a Caucasian woman who was walking late at night in Phoenix's Palma Park when she ... More >>

Argument at Phoenix Apartment Complex Leads to Murder; Suspect Still Loose

​An argument at a Phoenix apartment complex turned deadly this morning when one of the men involved pulled out a gun and shot the 20-year-old victim.Just after midnight today, Arlandis West was standing with some friends in front of an apartment building at 6805 North 27th Avenue.He got in an argu ... More >>

Three Chandler Cops Shot, One Killed, During Undercover Drug Bust in Phoenix

​Three Chandler police officers were shot last night, one fatally, during an undercover drug bust, which, as described by police, sounds like a scene out of Miami Vice.Both Chandler police and Phoenix police aren't saying much about the shootings -- the officers shot, and six suspects detained at ... More >>

Phoenix Police Make Second Arrest in 5-Year-Old Murder Case

www.aetv.com​Everybody loves a good cold case file and the Phoenix Police Department is happy to oblige whenever it can.Yesterday afternoon, Phoenix police arrested a man in connection with the 2005 murder of 24-year-old Vester Freeman.Freeman's body was found stabbed to death on May 3, 2005, in f ... More >>

Phoenix Man, Found Stabbed in Front of His Apartment, Dies; Suspect Still on the Loose

​The Phoenix Police Department is asking the public's help in tracking down the person who stabbed a man to death yesterday morning.Sergeant Steve Martos of the Phoenix PD tells New Times that, just before noon, cops responded to a call saying someone was hurt at 8822 North 1st Street in Phoen ... More >>