PHOENIX — Police have made an arrest more than a year after an 18-year-old was shot to death in south Phoenix.
Exzavion Williams, 19, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of robbing and killing the teen on Feb. 16, 2023 near 14th Street and Baseline Road.
Court records show a witness told police the victim had met with the suspect that day and an altercation ensued resulting in the suspect stealing a firearm from the victim. The witness and victim ran away as the suspect started firing shots and the 18-year-old was hit by the gunfire.
The witness allegedly identified Williams out of a photo lineup, records show.
Investigators additionally reviewed social media posts and messages that allegedly implicated Williams in the crime. A picture posted online by the suspect reportedly depicted a gun resembling the one taken from the victim, records show.
At the time of his arrest, Williams allegedly claimed to not know anything about a murder.
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What is the Valley?:
“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest.
The Valley is made up of various major cities other than Phoenix, including:
- Mesa
- Chandler
- Scottsdale
- Tempe
- Glendale
- Surprise
- Peoria
- Gilbert
- El Mirage
- Avondale
- Litchfield Park
- Goodyear
- Buckeye
Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or “West Valley” depends on where it is in relation to Phoenix.
The cities of the Valley have a combined population of 4,845,832 people, according to the 2020 United States Census. This makes it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country right behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.
How big is Maricopa County?
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.
