Four Adults have been arrested by Mesa Police detectives in connections with an armed robbery spree and the murder of 38-year-old Brandon Van.
Jaquan Jaheem Bailey, 18-years-old, Stephon Mitchell, 18-years-old, Vincent Culbreath, 38-years-old, and Ashley Herrell, 37-years-old were booked into jail on first-degree murder and armed robbery charges.
According to the Mesa Police Department, the first incident occurred at a convenience store called, “In the Zone”, 1163 W Broadway in Mesa. While the three men were inside the store, Culbreath stole two bottles of alcohol. When a clerk attempted to stop him, Culbreath displayed a handgun.
Later, at around noon, Bailey, Mitchell, Culbreath, and Herrell were in the area of 1700 W. Bentley in Mesa when they stopped to talk to Brandon Van, appearing to ask him for directions. Van then walked away. Surveillance video shows Culbreath contact Van again and try to rob him. The three men chased Van while firing shots. Van tried to hide in the neighborhood behind a planter. Van eventually surrendered his backpack as the suspects shot at him. Van was then physically assaulted and shot multiple times at close range, killing him. The suspects ran back to the vehicle and fled the area.
The group then went to another area in east Mesa where they stole four tires from outside a home. They next went to the town of Guadalupe, where they attempted a third armed robbery. In Guadalupe, a woman intervened and was subsequently shot. She is in critical condition but expected to survive.
The group’s final stop was in Phoenix, where they had an argument over a gun. Shots were fired, police were called, and they were arrested.