22-year-old arrested out-of-state in connection with Mercedes Vega's murder
Sencere Hayes (Courtesy: Hamilton County Sheriffs Office, Tennessee)
PHOENIX - Officials with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office say an arrest has been made in connection with the murder of Mercedes Vega.
In a statement released during the afternoon of Nov. 18, a spokesperson with MCSO identified the person arrested as 22-year-old Sencere Hayes.
"Hayes was arrested on 11/11/2024, in Tennessee," read a portion of the statement. "MCSO is working with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office to get Hayes extradited back to Maricopa County."
Sencere Hayes (left) and Mercedes Vega (right)
We have previously reported on the murder case, which happened in April 2023. According to a report from October 2023, Vega was last seen around Mill Avenue in Tempe with her friends the night before she was found dead. Vega's burned body was found in the backseat of a car alongside Interstate 10 in the Tonopah area.
During a news conference on the case that was held in November 2023, the victim's family members were visibly emotional as they shared their stories with the victim.
"She was my baby. I miss her. It's so hard to believe that she's gone," said Vega's mother, Erika Pillsbury.
"No one's family deserves what we're going through," said Vegas' father, Thomas Pillsbury.