NewsCrime and Justice

Actions

Police: 74-year-old man killed for no apparent reason in Phoenix; suspect arrested

ManAriz.jpg
Posted
and last updated

PHOENIX, Ariz. — The Phoenix Police Department says its officers have arrested a man accused of attacking and killing a 74-year-old man for no apparent reason.

On Feb. 16, police were called to the parking lot of a Kentucky Fried Chicken in area of 17th Avenue and Bethany Home Road for reports of an injured person. When they arrived, they found 74-year-old Juanito Falcon suffering from injuries to his head.

Juanito Falcon.jpeg

Officers learned Falcon was walking in the area when he was punched in the face and fell to the ground hitting his head on the pavement.

Falcon was initially believed to have suffered only abrasions and contusions to the face and was transported to a hospital to get checked out.

Investigators were notified by hospital staff that Falcon had sustained a skull fracture, had bleeding on the brain and was being rushed into surgery. He died two days later on Feb. 18.

An autopsy was conducted by the Medical Examiner's Office and determined the preliminary cause of death as being from blunt force trauma.

During an investigation, detectives developed probable cause to arrest 40-year-old Marcus Williams in connection to the homicide.

On the day of the incident, witnesses who saw the altercation identified a vehicle being driven by the suspect. The vehicle was later linked to Williams.

Williams was located and arrested on March 3. He was booked into the Maricopa County Jail for one count of murder.

Phoenix police say detectives have yet to uncover a motive for the attack.

This story was originally published by staff at KNXV.