A $50 electric-bill dispute in West Phoenix has become a murder case after a 76-year-old man died from injuries police say were inflicted with a construction helmet. Troy Yazzie, 31, was arrested Tuesday in Flagstaff and booked on suspicion of second-degree murder, nearly three months after the April assault. The case now turns on a violent confrontation that left the victim in hospitals and specialized care for roughly 10 weeks.
The confrontation began April 30 at a West Phoenix apartment, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. Police said the victim called 911 after Yazzie allegedly took $50 meant for the electric bill, and dispatchers heard a man in the background asking whether he was calling police. When officers arrived, they found the victim covered in blood with severe facial injuries.
Investigators say the victim told officers Yazzie punched him and then struck him repeatedly with a white construction helmet. He was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital with severe facial fractures and bleeding around the brain, then moved through multiple care facilities as his condition worsened. Medical examiners determined he died July 11 from complications of blunt-force trauma, according to court records cited in the report.
Police recovered the hard hat outside the apartment complex the next day, but Yazzie had left Phoenix. Detectives eventually located him through his Coconino County probation officer, who said Yazzie was living with his mother in Flagstaff; Flagstaff and Phoenix detectives arrested him Tuesday. In an interview, court documents reviewed by FOX 10 Phoenix say Yazzie admitted punching his roommate and repeatedly hitting him with the helmet, while acknowledging the violence could cause serious injury or death.
Arizona Second-Degree Murder Charge Explained
Under Arizona law, second-degree murder applies when a person intentionally causes death, knowingly causes death or serious physical injury, or recklessly creates a grave risk of death. The Arizona Legislature classifies the offense as a class 1 felony, though the charge is only an allegation and Yazzie is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
A judge ordered $1 million bond, and Yazzie remained jailed Wednesday. His next court appearance is scheduled for Monday.
