The hunt for a suspect in a Pinal County homicide ended Friday when police arrested 49-year-old Javier Lopez in Phoenix. Lopez was sought by the Pinal County Sheriff's Office for questioning in the death of 43-year-old Christina Lopez, whose body was discovered on Thursday in her residence on the outskirts of Florence, near Felix and Judd Roads. Following the discovery of the murder, authorities issued an alert for Javier Lopez describing him as "armed and dangerous."
According to FOX 10 Phoenix, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office had released details of the vehicle Javier Lopez was last seen driving, a 2003 silver Nissan Sentra with an Arizona license plate 18A83G and he was taken into custody on Friday. Additionally, they had warned the public that Lopez might be in the Phoenix or Tempe area, urging anyone with information to come forward.
Confirmation of Lopez's arrest came shortly after the sheriff's office had disseminated the information; Phoenix police officers executed the apprehension at approximately 12:30 p.m., as detailed in a report by AZ Family. The quick resolution to the search for Lopez brought an end to the immediate threat he was perceived to pose to the community at large.
While the investigation remains ongoing, few details have been released about the circumstances surrounding Christina Lopez's death or what led investigators to deem Javier Lopez a person of interest. The Pinal County Sheriff's Office has yet to disclose whether Javier and Christina Lopez were related or known to each other, and it is still unclear what evidence they may have that linked him to the scene, but his capture was undoubtedly a pivotal point in this tragic case.
