A Tucson man is accused of running over his own father with a vehicle and stabbing his 94-year-old great-aunt during a violent overnight incident in the city's Vactor Ranch neighborhood. Samuel Thomas Stangl V now faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder with a domestic violence designation, following the attack that also left two elderly neighbors injured.
According to KVOA, court documents allege Stangl V killed his father, 58-year-old Samuel Stangl IV, and stabbed his great-aunt during the attack, which occurred near Sabino Canyon and Tanque Verde Road on the city's eastside. The violence unfolded in the 7400 block of East Vuelta Rancho Mesquite, a gated subdivision within Vactor Ranch, as detailed in a bulletin from the City of Tucson.
Tucson Police officers were dispatched to the home around 2:15 a.m. on September 9 after a 911 call from the victim's house coincided with a medical alert system notification triggered from a residence across the street, per the city's account. When officers arrived at the primary scene, they found Stangl V armed with a knife alongside the 94-year-old victim and deployed a Taser to take him into custody, the bulletin states.
Father Found Dead Beneath Vehicle in Driveway
Officers discovered Stangl IV deceased underneath a vehicle in the driveway after the car had collided with multiple objects outside the home, according to the city's bulletin. Physical evidence indicated several exterior collisions had occurred before police arrived on scene.
Stangl V suffered self-inflicted sharp-force injuries during the incident and was transported to an area hospital for treatment before he could be booked into jail, per FOX 10 Phoenix. The station's report notes this is why the suspect was not immediately transferred to the Pima County Jail following his arrest.
Neighbors Assaulted Before Police Arrived
Before officers reached the scene, Stangl V allegedly broke into a neighboring residence across the street and assaulted a 75-year-old woman and a 77-year-old man, who sustained minor injuries and triggered their home's medical alert button, the city's bulletin states. Both elderly neighbors survived the home intrusion with non-life-threatening injuries. Homicide detectives with Tucson Police verified that Stangl V resided in the East Vuelta Rancho Mesquite home with both his father and his 94-year-old great-aunt, according to the same city account.
Stangl V faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder, domestic violence, and kidnapping, per KVOA. His bond has been set at $750,000.
What the Charges Could Mean
Under Arizona Revised Statutes § 13-3601, first-degree murder and aggravated assault are among the offenses that may receive a statutory domestic violence classification when committed against qualifying household or family relationships, according to the Shouse Law Group. That designation applies to qualifying household or family relationships, and an officer can arrest when there is probable cause.
First-degree murder under Arizona Revised Statutes § 13-1105 is classified as a Class 1 felony, carrying potential sentences of life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty upon conviction, according to AZ Defenders. The crime scene falls under the jurisdiction of Tucson Police Department's Operations Division East, which covers nearly 120 square miles and more than half of the city's total geographic area, per the City of Tucson.
The official motive behind the attacks has not been disclosed. Stangl V remained hospitalized, while his surviving great-aunt had stabilized and was expected to survive. Stangl V will be booked after his release from the hospital.
