A man wanted in Arizona is alive and under arrest in Indiana after authorities said he faked his own death.
Prior to a judicial hearing which was scheduled in Arizona for March 20, 2023, Christen Allen Wright, age 38, initiated a scheme to fake his death to avoid any court ruling.
Wright was wanted on a felony warrant for sexual conduct with a minor and molestation of a child, based on a 2017 investigation conducted by the El Mirage Police Department (EMPD).
According to the the El Mirage Police Department, on March 24, 2023, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office arrested Wright in Sellersburg, Indiana.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) and the EMPD were informed about Wright’s death through an acquaintance, however, neither could confirm Wright passed away. The MCAO and the EMPD began to investigate the claim in which Wright died at a local hospital. Investigators quickly learned Wright, who fled Arizona, was in Clark County, Indiana.
Through the investigation, EMPD detectives learned Wright deliberately removed a court ordered electronic monitoring device. As part of the scheme, Wright handed over the electronic monitoring device and other personal property to his acquaintance in the parking lot of a Phoenix area hospital. The acquaintance was then asked to make notifications about Wright’s death.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office, in cooperation with the EMPD, worked tirelessly to locate Wright, and on March 24, 2023, he was taken into custody.
“Wright thought he could avoid justice and execute a plan to leave Arizona to avoid prosecution. Serving the victim involved in the 2017 case and holding Wright accountable was a priority for my department,” said El Mirage Police Chief Paul Marzocca. “I commend Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, her staff, and Clark County Sheriff Scott Maples and his staff for their quick response and assistance.”