INDEPENDENT NEWSMEDIA
Mesa police have arrested Johnel Trinidad, 44, in connection with a double homicide on Nov. 1.
Police went to an apartment in the 100 block of North 67th Street about 11:15 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1, after receiving calls about shots being fired. They found the victims Ronnie Lazalde and his wife Natishia Lazalde under a stairwell outside of an apartment.
Both had suffered gunshot wounds. Ronnie Lazalde was dead at the scene, and Natishia Lazalde was taken to a hospital where she died the following morning.
“Detectives determined through their investigation that Natishia was with Johnel in an apartment when Natishia’s son came over for a visit,” police said in a release.
“Johnel and the son got into a verbal argument and all three of them walked outside where Ronnie joined in the argument. As the argument continued, Johnel pulled a weapon and fired at Ronnie and the son.”
Police said the son pulled his own gun and fired at Trinidad while he was running away.
When the shooting stopped, Ronnie and Natishia Lazalde had both suffered what turned out to be fatal wounds, and Trinidad was shot in the leg. He was taken to a hospital where he was treated for his wound and later released into police custody.
Mesa police said detectives found probable cause to charge Trinidad with two counts of manslaughter and one count of prohibited possessor. He was booked into jail on the charges.