MCSO investigating unrelated shooting incidents in Guadalupe

GUADALUPE, Ariz. (FOX 10) -- Sunday was a violent night in Guadalupe, and now, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is investigating two shootings in the East Valley town that left two people dead. One person is in custody, but deputies are still looking for a second suspect.

MCSO officials say the two shootings, located less than a quarter of a mile apart, are unrelated.

"They found two victims, a male in his 30's and a female as well that had been shot in their front yard," said Sgt. Joaquin Enriquez with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.

Investigators are still sorting through the details of the two deadly shootings, one of which occurred when 20-year-old Phillip Valencia told investigators he became upset over an argument with his girlfriend.

"It was that time when he made the conscious decision to retrieve his weapon, and actually go across the street when they were having this gathering, and start shooting random people at this party," said Sgt. Enriquez.

A man and woman were hit by gunshots at a family barbeque for a birthday party, and the man was pronounced dead at a hospital. Valencia was arrested at his home and charged.

"You look back at this case, and you think an opportunity for an individual to cause lots of damage, killing people, when all they were doing was having a barbeque birthday party," said Sgt. Enriquez.

30 minutes after the birthday party shooting, MCSO officials said a drive-by shooting happened, in which a tire shop was targeted. Nobody was injured in this unrelated incident.

Meanwhile, deputies are still trying to figure out why another man was shot and killed an hour later, in a separate incident in Whispering Ranch, which is located west of Wittmann.

"There's very limited information at this time, given the fact that we don't really have suspect information and no one really saw anything," said Sgt. Bryant Vanegas with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.