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Phoenix suspect accused of killing family, man in response to possible affair
Posted
A man is in custody after allegedly killing four people, including his wife and two children, in response to a possible extramarital affair.
Phoenix police Sgt. Tommy Thompson said officers initially responded to the area of 69th Avenue and Osborn Road around 8:15 p.m. Thursday.
They located two men and a woman with gunshot injuries. Ron Freeman, 46, died from his injuries. A 47-year-old woman is in critical condition and the other man sustained non-critical injuries.
Police located a vehicle with suspect Austin Smith, 30, inside near 67th Avenue and Osborn Road. He was arrested without incident.
The investigation led detectives to a home near 67th Avenue and Indian School Road after one of the shooting victim’s expressed concerns for Mr. Smith’s family.
At the home, police found Dasia Patterson, 29, and her daughters, Mayan Smith, 7, and Nasha Smith, 5, dead. A 3-year-old girl was found unharmed under a bed. Ms. Patterson and Nasha had gunshot wounds, Mayan had blunt-force injuries, according to police and court records.
The two incidents stemmed from an alleged extramarital relationship between Mr. Smith's brother and Ms. Patterson.
Mr. Smith told police he shot the individuals because “in God’s eyes it was all right to deal with someone” in this manner of extramarital affair and adultery.
Police believe Mr. Smith killed his family and then went to the shooting near 69th and Osborn. Records state Mr. Freeman was a family friend and was living with Mr. Smith's brother at an apartment complex.
When Mr. Smith arrived at the complex, he reportedly shot Mr. Freeman multiple times, even as he was on the ground. Others tried to help Mr. Freeman, to which Mr. Smith allegedly started firing again, including into the apartment.
He only left once God told him his brother was dead inside the apartment.
It is unknown if Mr. Smith has a criminal history.
“Calls like this, situations like this... you go home and give your kids a hug and a kiss and they don’t know it because they’re still asleep,” Mr. Thompson said
Mr. Smith faces four counts of first-degree murder among other charges. He was booked into the Fourth Avenue Jail in lieu of a $2 million cash-only bond.
