Crime & Police

We had a momentary heart palpitation after reading this headline on the AzCentral site today: …

A building fire in a west Phoenix industrial building this morning led fire officials to discover a dead body, and police say the victim was murdered.About 4:45 a.m., the Phoenix Fire Department responded to a fire alarm that went off in the 1200 block of south 35th Avenue.When fire personnel responded,…

A bank robbery suspect turned a Chandler bank into a drag show yesterday, when he dressed like a woman while committing his heist. According to witnesses, the suspect — wearing a black cotton knee-length summer dress with a purple shirt underneath and a long, black curly wig tucked under a black and purple checkered…

Bill Montgomery, a potential candidate for Maricopa County Attorney backed by Sheriff Joe Arpaio, disparaged the sheriff in an hour-long talk with County Supervisor Don Stapley, a county official says. The whole thing was caught on tape without Montgomery’s knowledge. County officials plan to release a digital version to the…

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors is demanding documents from Sheriff Joe Arpaio related to a possible misappropriation of detention funds — and if he doesn’t comply, a county spokeswoman tells New Times, Arpaio could be found in contempt of court or even face arrest.The supervisors have been demanding the…

A wife and mother of two from Mesa is in hot water after an argument with her husband over taxes prompted her to bite and slap the man, as well as stab him with a butcher’s knife. Mesa police say that 41-year-old Sonia Hules got pinched after her 13-year-old son called…

  A 27-year-old murder suspect was busted at a Tempe elementary school with a handgun on Wednesday as she picked her daughter up from school. Damaris Shayna Davy, who’s unemployed and homeless, was also under investigation for two instances in the past week or so when she pointed the same…

It’s rare that a story about a rabid bobcat attacking a human being could ever be considered lame, but given Arizona’s recent history with these foamy-mouthed felines, the latest tale is a bit of a yawner. We all remember the rabid bobcat that burst into a Cottonwood bar in March…

  Interim Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley released a list the folks at his office who were “let go” in the wake of Andrew Thomas’ resignation. *Miguel Martinez, Thomas’ brother in law, hired by Thomas despite not being a lawyer. Supposedly, he worked as a “community liaison.” *Phil MacDonnell, Thomas’ No. 2…

It’s that special time of year in Arizona — flowers blossoming, the sun’s warming up, and as a result, rattlesnakes throughout the state are waking up from their winter naps That is, the vicious monsters are ready to bite the shit out of anyone they see. All right, rattlesnakes probably…

A Phoenix auto mechanic is behind bars after police discovered that not only wasn’t he fixing people’s cars, but was stealing them, too.Kedrick Russell, 42, got pinched by the Phoenix Police Department earlier this week for stealing a car last December and because of the way he did it, cops feel there may…

Apparently, Leyva didn’t learn his lesson. And he got no respect as King of the Roost — his ex-wife turned him in, according to court documents.  …

Newly appointed Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley has certainly enjoyed plenty of career high points — from his service as a Marine to his 16 years as the county’s top prosecutor.But that’s apparently not enough for the crackerjack news team at KTVK’s 3TV. In an otherwise unremarkable report about Romley’s…

Lisa Aubuchon, once Andrew Thomas’ key political prosecutor, is now under investigation herself. ​Former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas’ inept attack-dog prosecutor, Lisa Aubuchon, is now under investigation herself by the new boss at her office, Rick Romley. Romley, named Friday to succeed Thomas (who stepped down to run for…

As we reported back in January, 2009 was the most rabid year in Arizona history, with 261 animals testing positive for the disease, which is an alarming 85 more than 2008.The outbreak got so bad in Santa Cruz and Coconino counties that county-wide quarantines were issued. The quarantines forced county…

Outgoing Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas wants us to believe he’s just fine with the decision to replace him with Rick Romley. A statement by Thomas, released through his über-flack, Jason Rose, contains none of the vitriol or threats about Romley’s appointment spouted by Sheriff Joe Arpaio today. While Arpaio threatens to…

The Phoenix Police Department announced today that it’s won an indictment for a suspect in a murder/sexual assault that happened in 1994.Who doesn’t love a good cold-case file.On October 21, 1994, 35-year-old Eric Harmon was found murdered and sexually assaulted in Papago Park.  Phoenix police Sergeant Tommy Thompson tells New…

No need to wonder how much the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office dislikes the Board of Supervisors’ choice to appoint Rick Romley as the new county attorney. Take a gander:    …

It was just announced that former Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley will serve out the rest of Andrew Thomas’ term as county attorney and Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s apparently having a shit-fit about it. Arpaio’s so bent out of shape over the idea that he’s threatening legal action.”Romley’s appointment to interim…

We called that one.As New Times’ Paul Rubin predicted last week, former County Attorney Rick Romley got the nod from the Board of Supervisors today to replace Andrew Thomas in his old job. Thomas, of course, resigned earlier this month to run for attorney general; Romley, who held the post…

  A Peoria man accused of killing a bicyclist in 2008 could barely stand up because he was so impaired by prescription drugs on the night of the collision, police say. Aaron Chubick, 32, faces charges of hit-and-run and manslaughter in the early-morning wreck that killed 65-year-old Richard Markarian. A police report obtained…

  An 18-year-old Phoenix resident has been arrested by Phoenix police in connection with a racing-related collision on February 13 that killed two people. Carlos Garcia had been driving the black car sought by police after the wreck at 43rd Avenue and McDowell Road, police allege in court records. Garcia,…