PHOENIX — A plan to retrieve two cars stolen from a Fountain Hills residence ended in murder charges and the arrest of an Apache Junction man.
Arthur Hunter, 48, was arrested by the Phoenix Police Department on Tuesday after he allegedly confessed to killing a suspected car thief.
On the afternoon of Aug. 5, an unidentified man was shot multiple times near Southern Avenue and 21st Lane and left for dead in the streets.
A police report shows Hunter was one of the bystanders who called 911 before fleeing the crime scene by the time officers arrived.
Hunter initially told investigators he was driving through the neighborhood and stumbled upon a man covered in blood. Not wanting to get too involved, Hunter claimed he decided to drive off before help arrived.
Investigators later discovered Hunter had a connection to a vehicle found parked not far from the victim's body.
The car had been reported stolen by Hunter on Aug. 2 to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office from a home in Fountain Hills.
Phoenix police then uncovered another parked vehicle about half a mile from the crime scene that had also been stolen from the same Fountain Hills residence.
Through witness interviews, investigators found out Hunter was apparently doing renovation work on the Fountain Hills home, according to Phoenix police.
The victim had helped a friend clean the residence on the same day the two cars were stolen. Video surveillance captured the victim stealing both vehicles, a police report shows.
One witness told Phoenix police they attempted to convince the victim to return both cars. The witness indicated they had been trying to facilitate a transfer by corresponding with Hunter, who was attempting to retrieve the cars on behalf of the Fountain Hills resident.
"The owner of the vehicle had come down on Arthur (Hunter) hard and Arthur was very concerned about how this would affect his business and reputation," a witness told Phoenix police.
According to a police report, Hunter told investigators he felt compelled to shoot the victim because he saw the victim reach for something near their waist and Hunter thought it might be a weapon.
After shooting the victim, Hunter was allegedly planning to retrieve the cars once the victim's body was moved and police cleared the scene.
"Arthur told (the witness) one of the vehicles was surrounded by crime scene tape and it appeared he intended to go back and get the vehicles... after the police left the area," a police report states.
Hunter was booked into the Maricopa County jail on charges of first-degree murder.
