PHOENIX (AZFamily) — The recent arrest of a suspect in a deadly stabbing that happened in north Phoenix eight years ago came after a Mexican citizen, who recognized the man through a GoFundMe campaign, reached out to family.
Phoenix police hosted a news conference on Monday regarding the arrest of 34-year-old Michael Anthony Arredondo for the alleged murder of 25-year-old Evin Paulos, who was found dead near Pinnacle Peak and Cave Creek roads on June 3, 2017.
Police say the two men were friends or acquaintances travelling together when a fight broke out in their vehicle. That fight continued outside of the car, where Arredondo reportedly stabbed Paulos over 30 times.
“We learned shortly after the incident occured that he fled to California,” Det. Dominick Roestenberg said. “He spent a short time there and eventually fled to Mexico, where he’s been staying for the last eight years.”
Eventually, a Mexican citizen who learned of Arredondo’s alleged involvement in the crime through a GoFundMe reached out to Paulos family, Paulos’ sister, Eviein Paulos recalled.
“I told him, please, I don’t know if this is a scam or not. Can you send me some kind of evidence, you know, send me a picture,” Eviein said. “And it was him. He was just livin’ life for eight years,”
Mexican authorities worked with the Phoenix Police Department, the United States Marshal’s Service and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to find and extradite Arredondo back to the U.S.
Booking photo for 34-year-old Michael Anthony Arredondo(Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office)
“I think it sends a strong message out to the community that even with the passage of time, we’re still looking for you, we’re still hunting you down,” Det. Roestenberg said. ”Justice is going to take it’s course.”
After his arrest, Arredondo reportedly admitted to stabbing Paulos. Specific details regarding the stabbing or interview were not released, citing an active investigation.
“There had to be some rage involved,” Roestenberg added, “He wasn’t really able to explain why.”
Arredondo is jailed on a murder charge and is being held on a $1.5 million bond.
Every day, Eviein wears her brother’s ring with a necklace that has his name and picture. She says she will forever remember him as a giving man who she raised.
“It hasn’t been happy for a very long time, and this is something that’s very good for us,” she said. “We can kinda close it and move on.”
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