'Death Valley' Archives

Scottsdale Woman Makes Jodi Arias Look Like an Amateur: Shari Tobyne Chopped Up Her Husband, Scattered Him Over Three Counties

By Matthew Hendley Mon., May 20 2013 at 2:38 PM

Categories: Death Valley, That's So Scottsdale

Scottsdale PD

Shari Tobyne

While everyone's caught up in the hype of the Jodi Arias trial, we'll point out a quieter case that ended on Friday with a Scottsdale woman being sentenced to life in prison.

Shari Tobyne shot her husband of 35 years, Dwight, then chopped up his body, and left most of his remains scattered over three counties in the state.

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arizona, jodi arias, murder, scottsdale, scottsdale police department, Shari Tobyne

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Death Valley

Tony Phung, Restaurant Owner, Accused of Stabbing Co-Owners to Death in Dining Area

By Matthew Hendley Fri., May 17 2013 at 12:56 PM

Categories: Death Valley

MCSO

Tony Phung

Believe it or not, Amy's Baking Company may not be the biggest "kitchen nightmare" in the Valley.

That honor goes to Phoenix Vietnamese restaurant Pho 35, where the owner allegedly stabbed two of the restaurant's co-owners to death in the dining room Thursday.

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amy's baking company, arizona, kitchen nightmares, murder, pho 35, phoenix, phoenix police department, stabbing, tony phung

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Death Valley

Jan Brewer's Near-Redemption: Man Gets 14 Years in Prison for Cartel Beheading in Chandler

By Matthew Hendley Wed., May 8 2013 at 1:14 PM

Categories: Death Valley

The man who kind of made Governor Jan Brewer's comments about headless bodies in the desert a reality was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

"Law enforcement agencies have found bodies in the desert either buried or just lying out there that have been beheaded," Brewer said back in June 2010.

See also:
-"Spillover" Violence From Mexico Not Really Happening, According to Border Cops
-Jan Brewer's Quest to Find Headless Cartel-Linked Bodies in Desert Finally Yields Fruit
-Chandler Man Arrested for Allegedly Chopping Off Neighbor's Head

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Tags:

arizona, chandler, chandler police department, decapitation, headless bodies, jan brewer

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Bad Parents

Darnell Alvarez Beat His 2-Year-Old Son to Death With a Belt, Cops Say

By Matthew Hendley Fri., May 3 2013 at 10:14 AM

Categories: Bad Parents, Death Valley

MCSO

Darnell Alvarez

A 24-year-old Phoenix man beat his 2-year-old son to death with a belt while the child's mother failed to act before her child's death, police say.

Darnell Alvarez, and Davieanna Blake, the child's parents, left their child to die instead of getting medical attention, fearing that Child Protective Services would be called if they took him to the hospital, according to court documents obtained by New Times.

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arizona, child abuse, child death, darnell alvarez, davieanna blake, murder, phoenix, phoenix police department

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Death Valley

Men Plead Not Guilty in Murders of Phoenix Bail Bondsmen

By Matthew Hendley Thu., May 2 2013 at 12:38 PM

Categories: Death Valley

MCSO

Nicholas Malicki

The man accused of shooting and killing two Phoenix bail bondsmen, as well as the man accused of suggesting that he shoot them, have pleaded not guilty to all the charges against them.

Police said Anthony Giunta got a little scraped up when he was picked up by a pair of Phoenix bail bondsmen for skipping bail, and he urged that his friends and family who were watching the incident shoot the bail bondsmen. Nicholas Malicki, 23, actually murdered the men, according to police.

See also:
-Nicholas Malicki Accused of Murdering Bail Bondsmen at Friend's Suggestion

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Tags:

anthony guinta, arizona, bail bonds, david brickert, nicholas malicki, phoenix, phoenix police department, sanctuary bail bonds, wesley kampen

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Death Valley

Nina Koistinen, Accused of Killing 6-Day-Old Baby, Was the "Greatest Mother," Husband Says

By Matthew Hendley Mon., Apr. 29 2013 at 12:29 PM

Categories: Bad Parents, Death Valley

MCSO

Nina Koistinen was the "greatest mother," according to her husband.

The Phoenix mother who police say admitted to killing her 6-day-old baby girl was the "greatest mother," according to her husband.

Bradley Koistinen maintained that his wife, Nina Koistinen, did not kill their 6-day-old daughter Maya -- their eighth child -- as he described his wife's history of mental illness at her initial court appearance.

See also:
-Nina Koistinen Says She Killed Her 6-Day-Old Baby Because She "Had Too Many Kids Already"

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Tags:

arizona, child abuse, child protective services, infanticide, murder, Nina Koistinen, phoenix, phoenix police department

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Death Valley

Becky Kasper ID'd as ASU Student Allegedly Killed by Boyfriend With a Dumbbell

By Matthew Hendley Wed., Apr. 24 2013 at 1:42 PM

Categories: Death Valley

The Arizona State University student found dead in a Tempe apartment is identified in court paperwork as 19-year-old Rebecca "Becky" Kasper.

Court documents describe a written note left near Kasper's body that police believe was written by Kasper's boyfriend, 22-year-old Luis Soltero, admitting to killing her. That note wasn't found far from the apparent murder weapon -- a dumbbell.

See also:
-ASU Student, 19, Killed by Boyfriend Luis Soltero in Tempe, Police Say

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Tags:

arizona, becky kasper, luis soltero, rebecca kasper, tempe, tempe police department

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Death Valley

ASU Student, 19, Killed by Boyfriend Luis Soltero in Tempe, Police Say

By Matthew Hendley Wed., Apr. 24 2013 at 10:41 AM

Categories: Death Valley

Tempe PD

Luis Soltero

A 19-year-old Arizona State University sophomore was found dead in her Tempe apartment yesterday, according to police.

The student's name hasn't been released at this point, but police believe 22-year-old Luis Soltero, the woman's boyfriend, murdered her.

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arizona, tempe, tempe police department

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Death Valley

Nicholas Malicki Accused of Murdering Two Phoenix Bail Bondsmen at His Friend's Suggestion

By Matthew Hendley Fri., Apr. 19 2013 at 11:55 AM

Categories: Death Valley

MCSO

Nicholas Malicki

Anthony Giunta got a little scraped up earlier this week while being picked up by a pair of Phoenix bail bondsmen for skipping bail, and he urged that his friends and family who were watching the incident shoot the bail bondsmen.

Police say 23-year-old Nicholas Malicki obliged, and murdered the men.

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Tags:

anthony guinta, arizona, bail bonds, david brickert, nicholas malicki, phoenix, phoenix police department, sanctuary bail bonds, wesley kampen

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Death Valley

Carlos Rodriguez Admits to Shooting Up Phoenix Birthday Party, Killing Two

By Matthew Hendley Wed., Apr. 17 2013 at 12:39 PM

Categories: Death Valley

MCSO

Carlos Rodriguez

Police say the man who shot at a group of people attending a birthday party in Phoenix this weekend, killing two people, admitted to doing just that.

One of the men killed in Carlos Rodriguez's drive-by shooting was the birthday boy, 18-year-old Jason Acosta-Ramos.

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