Thread: 2 arrested in death of Glendale girl who fell from moving SU

2 arrested in death of Glendale girl who fell from moving SUV

by Shala Marks - Apr. 6, 2011 03:46 PM
The Arizona Republic-12 News Breaking News

A Glendale girl died Sunday from injuries sustained after trying to stop two teens from stealing her laptop computer a few days earlier, according to a court filing.

Anita Munoz, 16, was dragged by an SUV before falling and striking her head, the document said.
Lino Chavez and Jose Solis Apodaca , both 18, were booked into Maricopa County jail on suspicion of first-degree murder.
Apodaca sold the computer for $280, the document said.

"Words are totally inadequate to express our feelings, but our thoughts and prayers are with Anita's and her family," Glendale Union High School District spokeswoman Kim Mesquita said earlier this week.

The girl attended Independence High School in Glendale.

The incident happened around 7 p.m. March 30 as Munoz used her laptop outside the office of the apartment complex where she lived near 67th Avenue and West Ocotillo Road. She was able to get a wireless signal from that vantage.

According to police, the two men drove into the complex. Apodaca approached the girl and grabbed her computer. He fled to the Nissan Xterra where Chavez waited in the driver's seat, the documents said.

The girl grabbed onto the SUV through an open window. Chavez took off with the girl hanging from the rear window of the driver's side, the documents said.

Munoz fell and struck her head.

The SUV was gone when police arrived. Munoz was found unconscious on the ground.

She was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center with skull fractures, blunt force trauma, and severe brain injuries, the document said.

She underwent extensive surgeries, but was removed from life support just before midnight Sunday. Two days after the incident, Phoenix police started hearing rumblings and investigating Chavez, a Phoenix resident.

Then, his mother called Phoenix police to share what her son told her about the incident.

She told police the Xterra was her vehicle, the documents said.

Phoenix officers arrested Chavez on Saturday and turned him over to Glendale police.

During an interview, Chavez's mother told police about her son's friend, Apodaca.

Apodaca, a Glendale resident, was taken into custody Tuesday.

Apodaca told police he snatched Munoz's computer and that the two continued driving after she fell from the SUV, the court filing said.

He said Chavez then took him home where he kept the laptop computer for several days before selling it, the documents said.

Police said Apodaca told them he knew what he did was wrong and he would apologize to the Munoz family in open court.

During a court hearing Wednesday, a court commissioner denied bail to Apodaca because there was probable cause to believe he is in the country illegally.

Chavez had a bail set at $500,000.

At Independence High School, students grappled with their classmate's death.

The state AIMS tests slated for Tuesday and Wednesday were pushed to Thursday and Friday. "It's been an emotional time for many of our students and we felt it was best for everyone involved to have the test moved," Mesquita said.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... z1IrompuvN

Sheriff Joe Post on Facebook:

We have determined during the booking process that Inmate Jose Solis-Apodaca who was booked into jail for murder is an illegal alien.

It is like the US is a free candy store for illegals - take anything that you see that you want.

They just drove off.. A*******.