Christopher Smith, the former chief of staff for the state Senate found shot to death Saturday, had a history of drug use and other “bizarre” and “erratic” behavior , court records show.We hate to say it, but we called this one — which is why on Monday we asked Phoenix…
As we reported earlier, yesterday, the son of a Peoria woman found dead in her car over the weekend was arrested for his mother’s murder. We’ve received some new details about the murder, and the suspect, 32-year-old Dominic Chagolla — who, it turns out, is a big-time mama’s boy.For starters,…
A Chandler woman, currently in prison for a similar but unrelated crime, is accused of doing one of the sleazier things we’ve heard in quite some time: stealing money from a fund set up for a murdered cop.Police announced yesterday that 28-year-old Stephanie Pringle was arrested on suspicion of identity…
Two days after her body was found dead in her SUV in Glendale, the son of Maria Chagolla has been arrested for her murder.Dominic Anthony Chagolla, 32, was arrested yesterday after police say they found evidence that linked him to the murder.Maria Chagolla was reported missing by her family last…
A Tempe man is in pretty rough shape after wrecking his motorcycle into a traffic signal pole early Sunday morning. There’s good chance 19-year-old Noe Marcos Colazo is gonna live, Pinal County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Tim Gaffney tells New Times, but he could possibly lose a leg — which is…
A Mesa man convicted of the 2007 murder of 19-year-old Gilbert woman is eligible for a date with the needle, a jury decided yesterday.It was determined that the crimes committed by Jonathan Burns — who was found guilty last week for the murder of Jackie Hartman — were cruel and…
A body found shot to death over the weekend has been identified as Christopher Smith, an influential Valley politico who once served as the chief of staff for the state Senate.Smith, 51, was found fatally shot in his car parked in the 1000 block of 18th Avenue about 8 p.m…
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio finally is cooperating with the U.S. Justice Department in its civil-rights probe, thanks to an “unprecedented” lawsuit filed against the county. This isn’t the abuse-of-power investigation by the feds, which we keep hearing will result in several indictments. (We’ve heard such rumors for months — now we hear…
For a Mesa man, whose undergarment of choice seems to be commando, the dress code for yesterday was apparently pants optional — even when talking to children and police.Michael Polley, 55, was arrested yesterday afternoon after police say he whipped it out in front of three people, including two children,…
A Chandler thug is behind bars after attacking a man with a knife in the parking lot of the El Coyote Bar for no apparent reason.Ernesto Rascon, 24, wasn’t trying to rob the victim. The victim hadn’t slept with his girlfriend. Rascon, it seems, was just being a dick to a guy…
Last week, we told you about 50-year-old Maria Delores Chagolla, who had been reported missing by her family last Wednesday. We’re sad to report that Chagolla was found dead in her SUV last night.Residents in a neighborhood near 83rd and Glendale avenues called the Glendale Police Department last night to…
A woman says her ex-boyfriend has pulled a fast one on the legal system, and now there’s a chance he’ll be released from custody even though he stabbed her father to death. Walter McCarthy, 50, was found guilty but insane today of murdering 83-year-old Vernon Cumming.
A Phoenix man who beat his mother and nephew to death with a shovel earlier this year is heading to the slammer — for a long, long time (or until he croaks, whichever comes first).In November, Erik Lampert, 35, copped to murdering his two relatives, 14-year-old Logan Lampert and 61-year-old…
Documents in a lawsuit against the Arizona State Board of Education show that Marco de Niza High School officials made a deal with a former teacher to keep quiet about her student lover.Tamara Hofmann was accused by her bosses at the Tempe school in 2007 of having sex with student…
A Glendale woman thought it would be a good idea to toss her one-month-old son across a room and onto a bed Wednesday night, and she probably wouldn’t be in as much trouble as she’s in today had she not gone completely berserk on everyone around her afterward. Police responded…
The brother of a Phoenix man found shot to death in his home earlier this week is a suspect in the man’s murder. He’s also a suspect in the murder of his brother’s son — the suspect’s 6-year-old nephew, who was found shot to death in alley, the Phoenix Police…
UPDATED: Click here for update.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…
A Peoria woman is missing and cops need your help finding her. Maria Delores Chagolla, 50, was last seen dropping off her adult son about 9 a.m. yesterday in the area of 8700 West Butler Drive in Peoria. She never made it home and hasn’t been heard from since.In a…
A guilty verdict was returned this afternoon in the case of a Mesa man accused of murdering a 19-year-old Gilbert woman in January of 2007.Jonathan Burns, 29, was found guilty of first-degree murder, kidnapping, sexual assault, and misconduct with a weapon for the January 28, 2007, murder of Jackie Hartman,…
Phoenix police shot and killed an armed domestic violence suspect early this morning and are currently seeking another man — a potential victim — in the incident.Phoenix police got a call about 1:45 a.m. that a man with a knife was running amok at the Phoenician Palms apartment complex near…
The 6-year-old Phoenix boy found shot to death in an alley yesterday has been identified and it turns out he’s the son of a man found murdered the day before.The boy has been identified as Xavier Daniel Jaquez. The father, police say, is Angel Jaquez, 27, who he was found…
A convicted rapist, who has already served a prison sentence for sexual assault, is headed back to the big house after being found guilty of sexual assault (again) and kidnapping yesterday.At the very least, 34-year-old Jacob Israel Randles is looking at a minimum sentence of 94 years in prison when…
