An 18-year-old has found himself at the center of a chilling crime in Laveen, Phoenix, where he is accused of not only killing his neighbor but also living in the deceased man’s home for weeks, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix. Phoenix Police responded to a welfare check call on Monday at around 11:15 p.m., where they discovered the body of 57-year-old David Jimenez in the backyard of his home near 51st Avenue and Southern.
Officers were able to initially contact a neighbor who was suspicious because they had not seen Jimenez and noted traffic going to and from the house. Details unveiled by Phoenix Police in a statement, show that after an "extended barricade," Xzavion Johnson, the suspect, emerged from the house and was subsequently arrested. According to the same statement, Johnson confessed to have broken into Jimenez’s home around December 29, fatally shooting him three times in what began as a burglary. Following the homicide, Johnson purportedly continued to live at Jimenez's residence, driving the victim’s car and using his credit cards.
This eerie episode has left the quiet Laveen community reeling, with neighbors struggling to comprehend the unnerving turn of events. "It’s weird, it’s creepy. I mean, when I read he was living here while you know someone’s in the backyard dead. How can someone do something like that?" Maritsa Aguilar, a local resident, told FOX 10 Phoenix. Paul Garrobo, another neighbor, expressed his disbelief and shock at the situation, describing it as "very strange, very just, brazen."
The investigation into this alarming case continues as Johnson faces multiple charges, including murder and burglary. His bond has been set at $1 million cash. "At this time, investigators do not believe that there are any additional suspects related to this homicide," read a portion of the statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix. Meanwhile, as per an ABC 15 report, community members have been to pay respects to Jimenez, with some, like Aguilar, who didn't know him, bringing flowers to his home as a gesture of solidarity in the face of such a solitary death.
In addition to the emotional response from the community, the manner in which Johnson's alleged actions came to light has also captured public attention. The suspect's mother, as reported by ABC 15, was said to have called 911 after detecting a foul odor and noticing her son's mail at Jimenez's address, leading to the gruesome discovery.
