Two suspects were taken into custody yesterday in connection with the death of a juvenile after the El Mirage Police Department conducted a traffic stop.
Guadalupe Chavez, 16, and Emanuel Longoria Almanza, 18, both of El Mirage, were booked into jail for their roles in the 2022 homicide.
According to the El Mirage Police Department (EMPD), on March 24, 2022, at 10:36 p.m., officers were dispatched to 12550 West Thunderbird Road in response to reports of a shooting. When officers arrived on the scene, they found that the juvenile male victim had been shot. Officers attempted life saving measures, but the victim succumbed to his injuries after being transported to a local hospital.
During the investigation, EMPD detectives learned that when the shooting occurred the deceased victim was with a second adult male who was not injured, though shots were fired at him. The investigation revealed both victims had driven to a shopping center, parked and entered a business. Chavez had an ongoing dispute with one of the victims and had observed both victims in the parking lot. Almanza circled the parking lot and dropped off Chavez, who waited for the victims to leave the business. As the victims walked to their vehicle, Chavez approached them and fired a handgun several times, striking and killing one of the victims. Both Chavez and Almanza fled in a vehicle.
On January 16, Chavez and Almanza were seen driving in El Mirage and officers stopped them. Chavez was carrying a concealed handgun in his waistband, and a sawed-off shotgun was seized from Almanza’s vehicle.
“My detectives have worked extremely hard to identify and arrest the suspects, and I am proud of their efforts,” said El Mirage Police Chief Paul Marzocca. “My thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s family. In this case, the suspects specifically targeted one of the victims and posed a serious public safety threat. The community is safer, knowing they have been arrested,” Marzocca said.