Serial shooting update
The “Serial Street Shooter” killed nine people and injured two others in 2015 and 2016, but suspect Aaron Saucedo’s trial isn’t expected to begin for at least another two years.
It has been more than four years since someone terrorized the metro Phoenix area by seemingly randomly shooting at people in their cars and homes.
The “Serial Street Shooter” killed nine people and injured two others in 2015 and 2016.
In April 2017, former bus driver Aaron Saucedo, 25, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, drive-by shooting, aggravated assault, attempted murder and other crimes.
Saucedo is the son of well-known music producer and musician Jose Juan Segura. Law enforcement officers do not suspect his father of having anything to do with the crimes.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Saucedo, but the trial isn’t expected to begin for at least another two years.
The shootings occurred at night or early in the morning before daylight.
The shooter would open fire from inside his car, or step out briefly to shoot. According to police, the victims were outside homes or sitting in cars when they were hit. The majority of the victims were chosen at random.
Police initially arrested Saucedo for the murder of Raul Romero, which happened Aug. 16, 2015. Romero was dating Saucedo’s mother.
Saucedo was later rebooked into Marciopa County Jail for the additional crimes.
During a news conference in 2017, Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams said law enforcement received nearly 3,000 tips from the community. Those tips led to the charges against Saucedo.
The victims:
❚ Raul Romero, 61, was the boyfriend of Saucedo’s mother. Law enforcement believe Romero was the only victim who wasn’t picked randomly. He was shot and killed outside of his vehicle in the 900 block of East Montebello Avenue in Phoenix, according to court records.
❚ Jesse Olivas, 22, was shot and killed at about 12:45 a.m. Jan. 1, 2016, outside of a house in the 2800 block of North 58th Drive in Phoenix. At the time, police said his death was the first fatal shooting of the year.
❚ A 16-year-old boy was shot at about 11:30 p.m. March 17, 2016, while walking in the 1000 block of East Moreland Street in Phoenix. He survived his injuries.
❚ A 21-year-old man was shot at about 11:30 p.m. March 18, 2016, while standing outside of his vehicle in the 4300 block of North 73rd Avenue in Phoenix. He survived his injuries.
❚ Diego Verdugo-Sanchez, 21, was fatally shot at bout 9 p.m. April 1, 2016, outside a house near the 5500 block of West Turney Avenue in Phoenix.
❚ Krystal Annette White, 55, died on
April 19, 2016, after she was shot near the 500 block of North 32nd Place in Phoenix. Her body was found at about 4:30 a.m.
❚ Horacio De Jesus Pena, 32, was fatally shot at about 9:50 p.m. June 3, 2016, while outside a house in the 6700 block of West Flower Street in Phoenix.
❚ Manuel Castro Garcia, 19, was shot and killed at about 9:30 p.m. June 10, 2016, outside a house near the 6500 block of West Coronado Road in Phoenix.
❚ Angela Linner, 31, Stefanie Ellis, 33, and Ellis’ daughter Maleah, 12, were shot at about 3 a.m. June 12, 2016, while in a parked car outside a house near the 6300 block of West Berkeley Road in Phoenix. Linner and Maleah Ellis died almost immediately. Stephanie Ellis died three weeks later.
Case reassigned
It isn’t uncommon for it to take years for a murder case to go to trial. With numerous victims and the death penalty on the table, this one is particularly complex.
Judge David Cunanan took over the case from Judge Joseph Mikitish in January 2018.
Later that year, defense attorneys asked the court to not allow for the death penalty because jailhouse video was released to the news media. However, Cunanan ruled the video was a public record.
There were some additional staffing shuffles this year.
Judge Sally Duncan took over the case from Cunanan this summer, after he moved to the juvenile department.
Well-known Maricopa County Deputy County Attorney Juan Martinez was the prosecutor against Saucedo. However in September, Martinez was reassigned to the auto theft division to focus on his own disciplinary procedures.
He was still listed as an attorney on the case on court filings up until Oct. 9. Deputy County Attorney Jesse Wade has taken over the case.
The next court date is set for Jan. 7.