Maricopa County prosecutors say a grand jury returned indictments on May 29 over a mid May shooting in Buckeye that left a 16 year old pregnant girl and two infants dead. An 18 year old man is accused of carrying out the attack, while a second man is charged with allegedly helping him get away afterward. The case has also reignited West Valley debates about earlier threats and electronic monitoring that were already on officials’ radar.
According to a statement from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, a grand jury indicted 18 year old Michael Sanchez on three counts of first degree murder, two counts of attempted first degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault and one count of interference with monitoring devices. Nineteen year old Anthony Tequida was indicted on one count of hindering prosecution for allegedly driving Sanchez from the scene and helping him hide. Sanchez is being held without bond, while Tequida’s bond was set at $100,000 cash only, according to FOX 10 Phoenix.
Shooting in Westpark neighborhood
Buckeye police say the shooting unfolded outside a home in the Westpark neighborhood around 8:15 p.m. on May 14. Officers arrived to find three women with gunshot wounds, including 16 year old Rylee Montgomery, identified by family, who died at the scene. Two others, a pregnant 17 year old and a 22 year old woman, were hospitalized in critical condition. The 17 year old delivered her baby at roughly 25 weeks and that infant later died. Those details come from a City of Buckeye police notice and surveillance footage reviewed by local broadcasters, according to KPTV.
Investigators point to video and monitor records
Investigators say surveillance video showed a gray Chrysler 300 drop two men near the house, and cameras recorded them walking toward the victims just before gunfire. Court filings and ankle monitor data place Sanchez back in the area, and police say Tequida admitted he drove Sanchez to the neighborhood and later picked him up. U.S. Marshals located Tequida in Avondale, where he was arrested, according to Arizona's Family, which reviewed police interviews and court documents.
How Arizona prosecutes unborn victims
Arizona law allows prosecutors to treat the death of an unborn child as a homicide, and authorities said the unborn baby in Montgomery’s case would be handled under that statute. That approach helped shape the charging decisions after the newborn’s later death. The legal framework and its use in similar cases are detailed by the Arizona Republic.
Family calls for accountability
Montgomery’s relatives say they had reported what they described as threats from the accused to Buckeye and Avondale police in the weeks before the shooting, and they are now demanding answers about why those warnings did not prevent the attack. Her stepmother has spoken publicly about the family’s grief and pointed to an online fundraiser set up to help cover funeral and medical expenses, according to Arizona's Family.
Maricopa County prosecutors and Buckeye police say the investigation remains active, and they note that additional court filings are possible as officers keep reviewing evidence and video. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the Buckeye Police Department, according to the city’s news release from the City of Buckeye.
