PHOENIX, AZ — Police arrested a 53-year-old man Monday in connection with a shooting that killed a 48-year-old man in West Phoenix, according to the Phoenix Police Department.
Officers were called Sunday evening to a home near 47th Avenue and Indian School Road after a report of gunfire. When they arrived, they found Rogelio Aparicio Aguilera with gunshot wounds to his head and leg. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators said the shooting happened during a dispute.
Police say a dispute led to the shooting
Detectives identified the suspect as Efren Espinosa Pineda, 53, and said the confrontation between him and Aguilera preceded the gunfire. Police have not said what sparked the argument.
The victim suffered multiple gunshot wounds, including injuries to the head and leg. Officers and detectives treated the scene as a homicide investigation from the start after confirming Aguilera had died where he was found.
Authorities have released only limited details about the moments before the shooting, but they said the case began with a domestic call to a residence in west Phoenix around 8:15 p.m. Sunday.
Truck spotted near West Monte Vista Road
After the shooting, investigators said Pineda drove away in a red Dodge Dakota truck. Police later located that vehicle parked near 4800 West Monte Vista Road.
The truck became a key part of the investigation as detectives worked to track the suspect’s movements. By Monday morning, officers were watching the area and looking for Pineda.
Police said the vehicle was found not far from the neighborhood where the shooting occurred, helping detectives narrow the search before the arrest.
Detectives made the arrest Monday morning
At about 9:35 a.m. Monday, detectives saw Pineda leave a home on West Monte Vista Road and get into the truck, according to police. He was taken into custody a short time later without incident.
Officials said the arrest ended the immediate search that followed the killing. Police did not report any injuries during the arrest or say that force was needed.
Because the arrest happened the day after the killing, investigators were able to move quickly from the scene of the shooting to the area where they believed the suspect was staying.
Second-degree murder charge and jail hold
Pineda was booked into jail on one count of second-degree murder, Phoenix police said. He is being held on $1 million cash-only bond.
His initial court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 5. Court records and police statements released so far do not add further details about possible additional charges.
Authorities have not announced whether anyone else may face charges in connection with the shooting. For now, the case centers on the dispute, the gunfire, and the arrest made the next morning.
What officials have confirmed so far
The Phoenix Police Department has confirmed the basic sequence of events: a dispute at a West Phoenix home, the fatal shooting of Aguilera, the suspect’s departure in a red Dodge Dakota, and the arrest the following morning.
Aguilera died at the scene, and Pineda was taken into custody without incident. Police have not said what led up to the argument or whether the men knew each other before the confrontation.
The investigation remains active as detectives continue to sort out the circumstances that ended with one man dead and another facing a murder charge.
