MOHAVE COUNTY, Ariz. — The search for a suspect accused of murders in Arizona and Las Vegas ended after he was found dead in a remote area of Arizona earlier this week.
Hunter McGuire, 26, and his girlfriend 32-year-old Samantha Branek were found dead with gunshot wounds, the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office said.
Deputies say McGuire and Branek were found lying next to each other. Officials say McGuire’s wounds were self-inflicted.
It is unknown at this time how Branek died.
The medical examiner’s office responded and is conducting an investigation into the official cause of death, the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office said.
Earlier:
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department identified McGuire as the suspect in a murder in Las Vegas on Oct. 17. Branek was also seen on video camera pawning evidence of the murder the same day, police said.
Earlier this week, Las Vegas police issued an arrest warrant for McGuire and Banek for the murder.
Detectives also learned the two were hiding in the area after video surveillance connected McGuire to the murders of Retta Atkins and Darren VanHouten in Kingman on June 28.
Two days later on Oct. 19, the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in Golden Valley for a possible homicide.
Deputies found 35-year-old Martin Eric Nelson Jr. deceased behind a vehicle with gunshot wounds to the head. No other subjects were found at the scene.
While on the scene, deputies were approached by 42-year-old Timothy Wanye Burt who told them that he was present when Nelson was shot.
Burt told police that he and Nelson came to the property to get a trailer that was stolen from them when Hunter McGuire confronted them and began shooting.
Burt initially denied having a firearm but later admitted he had one and to returning fire ay McGuire. He told police he later tossed the gun in a wash and hid in the desert for 12 hours.
Deputies say that Burt’s story changed many times and was ultimately booked into jail for hindering prosecution.
After executing a search warrant at the property, which was known to be occupied by McGuire and Branek, deputies recovered evidence connected to the June 2022 murder of Atkins and VanHouten.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on our 12News YouTube playlist here.
Silent Witness:
Arizona's Silent Witness program allows people to send in tips and share information about crimes happening within their local communities.
The program shares unsolved felony case information in multiple ways, including TV, radio and social media.
Anyone who has information on a crime or recognizes a suspect described by the program is asked to call 480-948-6377, go to the program's website online or download the Silent Witness app to provide a tip. The identity of anyone who submits a tip is kept anonymous.
Calls to Silent Witness are answered 24/7 by a live person and submitted tips are accepted at all times. Submitted tips are then sent to the detective(s) in charge of the specific case.
Individuals who submit tips that lead to an arrest or indictment in the case can get a reward of up to $1,000.