Five people are in custody and a valley-wide manhunt is on for a 17-year-old suspected in a savage early-morning home invasion in Chandler that left an elderly homeowner with a fractured skull and his adult daughter, who has severe disabilities, shot multiple times. Authorities say several suspects tried to bolt south, and one 18-year-old was stopped and arrested at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Chandler police say the break-in unfolded around 6 a.m. on June 6 near Arizona Avenue and Elliot Road. Investigators allege three armed intruders forced their way inside, pistol-whipped the homeowner and opened fire on his daughter. Both victims were rushed to the hospital and are expected to survive, according to FOX 10 Phoenix.
Border Intercept and Arrests
Detectives used evidence from a related crime along with cell-phone data to track a suspect vehicle heading south, investigators say. Law enforcement intercepted 18-year-old Jesus S. Nunez and an underage companion in the Nogales area, where three other adults were also in the vehicle, according to officials. Court paperwork states Nunez was booked on armed-robbery, auto-theft, burglary and aggravated-assault charges and is being held on a $250,000 bond, as reported by Arizona's Family.
Three Men Charged Locally
Back in Chandler, officers arrested three men on Monday who they say helped the suspects get away. Robert Rosas is accused of first-degree hindering prosecution. Anthony Rosas faces first-degree hindering prosecution as well as extreme DUI, a probation violation and unpaid fines. Pete Canez was also booked on a first-degree hindering-prosecution charge, Chandler officials said in a statement to FOX 10 Phoenix.
How Detectives Tied the Incidents Together
Court documents reviewed by investigators say the same group tried to rob an Uber driver about 20 minutes before the home invasion. Surveillance video then showed multiple suspects gathering in an alley near the victims’ house shortly before the break-in. Police say they pulled Uber trip records, recovered a stolen Mercedes a block from the home and used cell-phone tracking that mapped a route heading south toward the border, according to Arizona's Family.
Charges and Next Steps
Prosecutors in Maricopa County will review the case and decide on formal charges while detectives keep searching for the remaining juvenile suspect. Chandler police are asking anyone with information to contact investigators. No motive has been released, and officers say the victims do not appear to have known the assailants.
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