Tag Archives: crime

Armed robberies in Flagstaff

Posted on by

FLAGSTAFF – On 05/07/22 at approximately 9:30 PM, an unknown suspect entered the Family Dollar at 3494 E Route 66 and displayed a handgun to the clerks and demanded money.  The suspect then left the store on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash.  A video canvass was completed, and the pictured vehicle was observed leaving the parking lot of the shopping complex around the time of the robbery.

On 05/09/22 at approximately 05:45 AM, an unknown suspect entered the Circle K store at 2718 N Steve’s Blvd and again displayed a handgun to the clerks and demanded money.  The suspect left on foot Northbound on Steve’s Blvd into the lower Greenlaw neighborhood of Flagstaff after the incident.  The suspect appears to be wearing identical clothing from the incident at Family Dollar from 05/07/22.

The suspect appears to be wearing a dark colored Carhartt brand jacket, and has a beanie, face mask, black pants and black shoes.  The suspect should be considered armed and dangerous.

If you have information about these crimes, please contact Detective Gilbert at 928-679-4120 or jdgilbert@flagstaffaz.gov. You can also submit your tip anonymously at Coconino County Silent Witness at 928-774-6111. Remember, we need your information not your name.

Police investigate homicide in Flagstaff

Posted on by

FLAGSTAFF –- On March 20th, 2022, at approximately 1:00 AM, Police responded to 2 N. Leroux, Collins Irish Bar for a report of a large crowd physically fighting which turned into a shooting.

When they arrived, officers located a subject in the street who had been shot. The victim was later identified as 26-year-old Frankie James Jackson, of Flagstaff.

The shooter was taken into custody and identified as 26-year-old Treysean Michael Anthony Ware of Flagstaff. Witnesses indicated that an altercation between Treysean and Frankie took place outside of Collin’s where Treysean pulled a gun on Frankie and shot him twice. Frankie was transported to the Flagstaff Medical Center Emergency where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Treysean has been arrested on charges of 2nd Degree Homicide, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Disorderly Conduct with a Weapon and drug charges. This investigation is ongoing; however we are not actively seeking any additional suspects. There were no additional injuries reported in this altercation.

Armed Robbery Suspect Arrested

Posted on by

FLAGSTAFF – On January 26, 2022, at approximately 1:20 PM, an armed robbery occurred at the Mobile gas Station at 2484 E Butler Avenue. A woman, later identified as Hertecia Anderson of Cottonwood, AZ, entered the store and donned a black ski mask. She demanded the clerk’s money from the register while brandishing a handgun towards the clerks. One of the clerks was complying with the demands, and another clerk tackled her. They attempted to detain her, but she broke free and ran across the street. When police arrived, she was located and arrested at the Sinclair Truck Stop (Little America).

Upon further investigation, the handgun was later determined to be a BB gun, which had a realistic appearance. Out of concern for her safety she was transported to the Flagstaff Medical Center for evaluation of a prior medical condition. The Flagstaff Police Department Criminal Investigation Division is not seeking any additional suspects at this time.

Homicide Victim Located on Forest Service Road 776

Posted on by

FLAGSTAFF – On April 27th, 2021, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received information from Milwaukie Police Department in Oregon of a possible missing and endangered female traveling with a male subject last known to be in the Flagstaff area.

Working with the Milwaukie Police Department, Sheriff’s Office detectives were able to ascertain a possible location where the couple may have been camping. The area indicated was Forest Service Road 776 off Highway 89, north of Fernwood. Deputies responding to the area began contacting campers and handing out flyers of the male and female. From the flyer, a camper recognized the female and identified a camping location where the female and male subject were last seen. In investigating the location, the body of a female was found deceased. The female victim has been identified as 38-year-old Melisa Rose Wheeler, of Oregon.

Crime scene – CCSO Photo

Wheeler was last known to be traveling with Benjamin Mota, a resident of Oregon, on vacation. Mota returned to Oregon in the victim’s vehicle where he was taken into custody on unrelated charges. Evidence gathered during the initial investigation resulted in a 2nd Degree Homicide warrant for Mota’s arrest. Extradition efforts will be pursued. Mota is currently being held on a one-million-dollar cash bond.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Milwaukie Police Department, the Coconino County Attorney’s Office and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office for their assistance and efforts during this investigation.

Sheriff CSI van – CCSO Photo

The investigation is ongoing by the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office. No other information is available at this time.

Coconino County Sheriff’s Office investigating possible kidnapping

Posted on by

Blue Ridge — On 12/15/2020 the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office was attempting to locate a male suspect and female victim who was reportedly forced into a vehicle south of Flagstaff, Arizona, along Interstate 17 in the late morning hours.

At 1157 hours the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a call from the Mustang Gas Station at Clint’s Wells along Hwy 87, reporting the vehicle involved from the incident on I-17 in the area. The caller reported a female passenger strapped/tied to the front passenger seat in a white in colored 4dr Jeep Wrangler with a black top. The reporting party then followed the suspect vehicle south along Highway 87 from Clint’s Wells until the suspect turned off on to Forest Service Road 141 east.

The Reporting party obtained and reporting the vehicle information to the 911 dispatch center. The vehicle returned to a subject out of Scottsdale, Arizona. During the investigation it was learned a Brandon Thomas Stewart of Scottsdale, was in possession of the vehicle in question.

Pings on the phone lead the Sheriff’s Office, Navajo County Sheriff’s Office and Department of Public Safety Helicopter to begin Searching the area east of Highway 87 and north of Forest Service road 300.

Later in the evening the suspect vehicle was located, and a high-risk traffic stop was conducted by DPS and Navajo County Sheriff’s Office at mile post 283 on Interstate 40.

The driver Brandon Stewart was taken into custody without incident and the female victim was located uninjured. Brandon Stewart was transported to the Navajo County Detention facility and booked on charges of Unlawful Imprisonment. Further charges are pending.

This incident is still under investigation and no further information is currently available. The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Public Safety for their assistance in this incident.

Page Police, FBI Make Arrest in Threats Case

Posted on by

PAGE — Page Police Department in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation have arrested a local man in connection with online threats to burn government buildings in the City of Page. Because federal charges are pending, no further information can be released at this time.

Attempted Abductions in Bellemont and Ash Fork Areas

Posted on by

Flagstaff, AZ – On May 2 and 3, 2020, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office responded to two different reports of abduction attempts on young females. One was in the residential area of Bellemont, west of Flagstaff off Interstate 40, and the second was in Kaibab Estates West, west of Williams, Arizona off Interstate 40.

The Bellemont incident occurred on May 2, 2020 around 6:00 pm in the area of Deer Springs and Greenfield. An unknown male subject approached and grabbed the victim, an 11-year-old girl. The suspect let the girl go when she screamed. The victim ran away from the suspect to her home and reported the incident. A Code Red was issued alerting community members. Multiple agencies responded to the area and conducted a search for the suspect but did not locate him. The suspect was described as a dark-complexioned male with long dark hair and a goatee. At the time of the Bellemont incident, he was wearing a black shirt. The suspect left on foot and there was no vehicle description.

The Kaibab Estates West incident occurred on May 3, 2020 around 2:00 pm near Hillside Dr. and Rincon Dr. The driver of a blue van offered a 15-year-old girl a ride. When she declined the ride and exited his vehicle, the suspect grabbed her by the arm and attempted to pull her into the vehicle. The 15-year-old fought back, striking the man in the face and was able to run to a nearby friend’s residence. A Code Red was issued alerting community members. Multiple agencies responded to the area and conducted a search for the suspect and vehicle, but neither were located. The suspect left the area in what the victim described as a blue minivan with a dent possibly in one of the doors. The suspect was described as a white male, 30 to 40 years of age, with short light-colored buzzed hair, slender and 5’10 to 6’ in height.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone who has information about either incident, anyone who may have seen person(s) or vehicles matching the descriptions, or anyone who may have seen something suspicious, please call the Sheriff’s Office Dispatch at (928) 774-4523, option 1 or Coconino County Silent Witness at (928) 774-6111.

California child abductor arrested in Golden Valley

Posted on by

GOLDEN VALLEY – On April 22, 2020 the U.S. Marshals Service led Arizona WANTED Violent Offenders Task Force, working in conjunction with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), arrested a dangerous fugitive and recovered a missing child in Golden Valley, Arizona.

“Armed fugitives that have abducted a child and is defiant to lawful orders places the community and law enforcement in harm’s way and must remain a priority,” said United States Marshal David Gonzales. “The US Marshals led task force members were joined by local and federal agencies who executed a plan that safely took custody of the child before arresting Messner, who will now be sent to California to answer for his crimes.”

On April 5, Dustin Messner, 37, abducted his eight-year-old son from Stockton, Calif. An arrest warrant was issued for Messner, who was being charged with Child Custody Deprivation. California law enforcement immediately began an investigation to determine the whereabouts of both father and son. The ensuing investigation revealed that Messner fled the state of California.

During his two weeks on the run, Messner made numerous comments and posts to his social media accounts expressing his belief that man’s law had no authority over him and that he would not be returning his son. Messner also made several threats to any law enforcement who attempted to take his son from him. These posts included video of firearms assumed to be in Messner’s possession.

On April 20, the District Attorney Investigator’s Office in San Joaquin County, CA, requested the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service in locating and apprehending Messner. On April 22, members of the U.S. Marshals Service District of Arizona-Flagstaff Division and the ATF conducted an apprehension and recovery operation at a home on Joseph Drive in Golden Valley, AZ. That evening, task force members arrested Messner and safely recovered the missing boy before turning him over to Child Protective Services.

Dustin Messner was transported to the Mohave County Detention Center while he awaits extradition back to San Joaquin County, CA. His son was happily reunited with his mother on April 23.

Deputies arrest barricaded subject for Possession of Stolen Vehicle

Posted on by

Tyler Littlefield – CCSO Booking Photo

FLAGSTAFF – On April 12, 2020 Deputies were called to the area of Burris Lane, for a report of a possible stolen dump truck. Upon arrival Deputies were told by the reporting party that the dump truck was stuck in the mud in the neighborhood near the East end of Burris Lane and it was occupied by one male subject.

Deputies located the dump truck and made verbal contact with the Driver. The Driver refused to follow commands or exit the vehicle. Deputies continued negotiations for approximately 1-hour until the suspect finally exited the vehicle and was then taken into custody without further incident.

The suspect had broken into a landscape company in Flagstaff where he stole a dump truck. The suspect then drove to Grey Mountain where he stole some merchandise from the convenience store. The suspect then drove back to the Flagstaff area.

While on the way back to Flagstaff the suspect was reportedly driving erratically. The vehicle drove through some driveways and yards in the area of Burris Lane, causing damage due to the deep mud.

Tyler Littlefield, a 27 year old Flagstaff resident, was arrested and booked into the Coconino County Jail for Theft of Means of Transportation, Possession of Stolen Property, Criminal Damage (2 Counts) 2nd Degree Trespass, and Resisting Arrest.

The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Public, Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Flagstaff Police Department for their assistance during this incident. The incident remains under investigation and additional charges may be filed at a
later date.

Arrest made in Cavanaugh Homicide Case

Posted on by

FLAGSTAFF – On February 28 and March 5, 2020, Shawn Eckard and Jason Eric Johnson were served warrants separately, reference the investigation of the homicide of Craig Cavanaugh.

Both men have been indicted in Navajo County for first degree murder of Craig Cavanaugh. Shawn Eckard is currently in the custody of the Arizona Department of Corrections on unrelated charges, and Jason Eric Johnson is currently in the custody of the Colorado Department of Corrections on unrelated charges.

Both have been served warrants and are pending appearance in Navajo County. This investigation began for the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office on July 17, 2019 when the Farmington New Mexico Police Department requested assistance with a missing person case that started on July 4. Craig Cavanaugh was reported missing after not returning to Farmington from a trip to Arizona.

Coconino County Sheriff’s Detectives conducted follow up and a body was located in the woods outside of Heber, Arizona on August 5. This body was later identified by the Pima County Medical Examiner as Craig Cavanaugh. Since this discovery, Coconino County detectives investigating this case as a homicide developed leads and additional evidence that was presented to the Navajo County Attorney’s Office for charging and later presented to a grand jury.