Homicide Suspect Arrested

On June 27, 2021 around 6:43 a.m., Mesa Police Officers responded to a shots fired call at the Frontier Motel, located at 1307 E. Main Mesa, AZ. When officers arrived, they located 28-year-old Michael Gonzalez dead with gunshot wounds. 

27-year-old Stevie Jones was identified as an investigative lead and was detained along with his girlfriend on June 28, 2021. After interviews were complete, officers learned that Jones initially fired his handgun at Michael through the glass of the hotel room before following him and firing several more rounds, killing him in the parking lot. 

Stevie Jones II was booked into jail for the following charges: 

First Degree Murder- ARS 13-1105A1, a class 1 felony

Misconduct Involving Weapons- ARS 13-3102A4, a class 4 felony

MESA PD LAUNCHES OPERATION SUMMER PROJECT 2021

As the national trend of violent crime continues to increase, the City of Mesa is not immune to the increase in violence. Unfortunately, gun related violence, aggravated assaults, and homicides are also trending upward. Year to date City of Mesa homicides are up 125% when compared to the first six months of last year. The Mesa Police Department is committed to the safety of the community through proactive work with our residents, identifying crime trends through data analysis, and increased officer presence where residents live, work, and play. 

To help address the elevated level of violent crime in 2021, the Mesa Police Department has developed an initiative called “Operation Summer Project 2021”. This project aims to reduce violent crime through enforcement, education, and critical analysis of victimology, repeat offenders, and environmental factors that contribute to the commission of violent crime. Our Community Engagement Division and Commanders will be engaged in neighborhood outreach and special events to bring us together as a community. 

The goal of OSP 2021 is to suppress violent crime in the City of Mesa and improve the quality of life and safety for our community. To maintain transparency in our community, we will share summary reports with results during the operational period. 

Every day, a new focus area will be identified with concentrated enforcement efforts based on criminal intelligence provided from crime analysts. This project is estimated to run from 60-90 days, starting the week of June 28, 2021. 

A project of this magnitude requires team effort from several areas of the police department. We will be utilizing officers from Patrol, Traffic, Aviation, Bikes, Gangs, Narcotics, Crisis Response Team, K-9 officers, and many more. Officers will be focused on finding violent criminal probationers, top violent crime offenders, and known subjects with warrants in high density violent crime areas. 

By conducting concentrated police work and through a strong community partnership, we will reduce violent crime and promote the safety and well-being of all residents in the City of Mesa.

If you have any information about violent crime, call the Mesa Police Department and 480-644-2211 or Silent Witnessat 480-W-I-T-N-E-S-S, 480-948-6377, or 480-T-E-S-T-I-G-O for Spanish speaking. Silent Witness pays up to $1000 for information leading to an arrest of indictment.

Thieves Steal Over $100,000 in Merchandise from Walmart Stores

Two suspects have been arrested after months of stealing from Walmart stores in several western states. Mary Garcia, age 47, and Melinda Rodriguez, age 38, were arrested on June 17, 2021 and face numerous counts of Organized Retail Theft.

The investigation began in March of 2021 when Walmart Loss Prevention noticed a series of suspicious transactions involving an in-store scanning app.  The suspects would enter the stores and scan the items using a smart phone in order to use the quick pay at the checkout.  The problem was once they reached the checkout, payment was bypassed, and they simply walked out with the unpaid merchandise.  By using the app, the suspect gave the appearance that they were paying for the items.

Working with Walmart Loss Prevention, the suspects were tracked using the same tactic for thefts in Arizona, California, Utah, Colorado and Texas.  In Maricopa County alone, Garcia was responsible for approximately $72,000 and Rodriguez approximately $34,000 in stolen items.

Thanks to the strong partnership between Walmart and the Mesa Police Department, thefts like this are not overlooked.  Thefts of this type can cause retailers to raise prices to compensate for loss. By arresting thieves who steal large amounts of merchandise, prices are kept at bay for the everyday honest consumer.

Mary Garcia

Melinda Rodriguez

A BIRTHDAY TO REMEMBER

June 13^th was going to be an amazing day for 10-year-old Thaime Sanchez; it was her birthday. She was going to have a party. She was going to open presents. She was going to have fun. Or so she thought. 

The day before, a fire began outside her home. Thaime and her 14-year-old sister, Heidi Sanchez, alerted their mother, but it was too late. The fire grew and quickly took over their apartment, leaving Thaime with nothing to celebrate. 

Mesa Police Officers felt the devastation experienced by Thaime and her family and wanted to help ease the pain in a special way. Officer Paramo contacted Thaime’s mother. He asked her what items were lost in the fire that were important to Thaime and what she would like for her birthday.    

Within one hour, Officer Paramo collected $400 from officers impacted by this story. 

Officer Kelly and Officer Tulkki assisted Officer Paramo on a shopping spree through Target, located at Longmore/ Southern. Curiosity grew from Target employees as they watched uniformed officers shop in the children’s section. After hearing what the officers intended, the Target Manager insisted on buying the gifts the officers picked out on behalf of the store. In addition, Target provided two push scooters for Thaime and Heidi. The remaining $400 was put on a gift card for Thaime’s mother.    

In conjunction with MFD Engine 202 and one of their medic units, officers arranged a time to present the gifts to Thaime and her family. In parade-like fashion, 7 police vehicles, one fire engine, and one medic vehicle approached the awaiting family. 

Our thoughts are with this family and hope that these gifts show you are not alone. The officers, firefighters, and your community are here for you. Special thanks to Officer Paramo for putting the wheels into motion and truly brightening the day of this family.  Happy Birthday Thaime!!!

Heidi, Thaime, and Officer Paramo

This story was covered by Telemundo! You can view it here...

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