PHOENIX – An arrest was made in a June 2017 cold case that left a 25-year-old stabbed to death near Pinnacle Peak and Cave Creek Road in North Phoenix.

The killer remained on the run, until authorities discovered him in Mexico last week.

What they’re saying:

The family of Evin Paulos said they didn’t give up hope during these eight years; they gave it to God.

It was through the tip of a random stranger in Mexico that Paulos’ alleged killer was finally caught.

“Yeah both my brothers, this is their picture, its been faded out, it’s been eight years,” said Eviein Paulos, the sister of the victim.

The backstory:

It’s been eight years since 25-year-old Evin Paulos was murdered. 

His sister, Eviein, wiped away tears next to Phoenix Police Detective Dominick Roestenberg, who announced Monday that the cold case is finally coming to a close.

“It was a tremendous amount of work,” said Detective Roestenberg.

With the help of U.S. Marshals, Phoenix police were able to track down the alleged killer, 34-year-old Michael Anthony Arredondo, who was Paulos’ neighbor in 2017. 

During a car ride in north Phoenix, the two had gotten into a fight.

“That’s the one thing that keeps me thinking that is how he killed him,” Eviein said. “That’s why I can’t get over it. Because it’s literally like flashes in my head. I didn’t see it myself. I’m just imagining all the stab wounds, every single one.”

Dig deeper:

Police said Arredondo stabbed Paulos 30 times in a violent rage, leaving a bloody, gruesome scene before running away to California. 

His vehicle was tracked in Anaheim, but Arredondo had vanished until now.

“Even with the passage of time, we’re still looking for you,” Detective Roestenberg said. “We’re still hunting you down, and that eventually justice is going to take its course.”

Through a serendipitous series of events, a GoFundMe page caught the attention of a random man in Mexico who knew of Arredondo. He emailed the family, who then told police. The tip led to an indictment in the span of a month.

“You know, he gave my brother a one-way ticket to heaven so, hey, I’m not mad at that. I’m just disappointed in how humanity is,” Eviein Paulos said. “At least we’re a little bit at peace. I can let go of the anger that I’ve had for so long and just try to concentrate on life.”

What’s next:

This closes eight years of pain for Eviein, who grieved the loss of her mother and a second brother while police searched for Paulos’ killer.

Police said Arredondo confessed to the murder. He’s being held on a $750,000 bond.

Map of the stabbing from 2017.

The Source: This information was provided by Phoenix police and the sister of Evin Paulos. 

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