Woman shot in the head at Glendale mobile home park, suspect arrested | Crime Files
GLENDALE, Ariz. - Court documents released by Glendale Police officials are providing some details surrounding a domestic violence incident that ended with the victim suffering serious injuries.
The incident, according to court documents, happened over the weekend.
Here are the details.
Who's the suspect?
Raidel Salinas (Courtesy: Glendale Police Department)
Police identified the suspect as 43-year-old Raidel Salinas.
What happened?
The incident unfolded during the early morning hours of Saturday, March 30, in a mobile home park near 67th Avenue and Northern.
According to court documents, Glendale Police received a 911 call at around 5:00 a.m. from a person who said his female friend was shot in the head. That woman has been identified by police as 36-year-old Bernadette Vera.
The person who made the 911 call was identified in court documents as "Witness 1."
"[Witness 1] advised the victim and her boyfriend had been arguing," read a portion of the court documents.
When officers arrived, they entered the mobile home and found Vera inside a bedroom, unresponsive and sitting down, leaning against the wall with a towel over the side of her head. The victim was later taken to the hospital.
"Hospital personnel advised [Vera] had a gunshot wound to the right eye," read a portion of the court documents. "At this time, [Vera] has no brain activity, and is not breathing on her own. Doctors have advised she will not survive her injuries."
Investigators say the witness, along with the suspect and the victim, were at a get-together on the night of March 29, and the suspect asked the witness to drive him and Vera back home in the suspect's car, identified as a silver 2011 Mazda CX9 whose registered owner is Salinas' father.
"[Witness 1] then left in [Salinas'] car and agreed to have it back at 5AM," read a portion of the court documents. "[Witness 1] returned to the trailer just before 5AM. When he arrived, he heard [Salinas] and the victim arguing inside the trailer, so he stayed outside while this was going on. He then heard [Vera] scream followed by a gunshot. Moments later, [Salinas] ran out of the trailer saying he shot the victim. [Salinas] entered the Mazda CX9 and drove away."
The car, per investigators, was later found abandoned in Phoenix, with Salinas' mobile phone inside.
Officials state that on March 31, Salinas began calling family members, asking for money so that he could go to Mexico. Officers later found Salinas, and arrested him as he tried to walk away.
"Within [Salinas'] pockets were several handwritten notes. Some of these were directed to the victim. One of these read ‘I am so [expletive] sorry. I didn't mean to do that. I wanted to scare you and I am so [expletive] sorry and if you are able to get this,'" read a portion of the court documents. "Many of these notes were similarly written, repeatedly apologizing. One note mentions that he was planning to go to Tijuana."
Police officials say Salinas later invoked his right to remain silent.
What is the suspect being accused of?
Court documents state the suspect is being accused of a count of 2nd degree murder (A.R.S. 13-1104A1) and a count of weapons possession by a prohibited possessor (A.R.S. 13-3102A4)
Investigators say Salinas had previous arrests and convictions for domestic violence, armed robbery, and misconduct involving weapons.
(If you believe you are a victim of domestic violence, help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), or text START to 88788. A live online chat is also available.)