22-Year-Old Mother Found Slain in Mesa Apartment

By Katie McDevitt, The Tribune, Mesa, Ariz.

Mar. 20–A young woman was found killed in a Mesa apartment Sunday, her two small children clinging to her bloody body.

About a dozen family members embraced and sobbed for the 22-year-old woman, found about 3:30 p.m. at Alma Park Apartments, 718 S. Alma School Road.

Her name and the names of her two sons — ages 18 months and 2 1 /2 years — were not released. The boys’ father is incarcerated, and family members are caring for them, police said.

Family members discovered the victim’s body after noticing the apartment’s front door ajar. Police said it was a “possible shooting” and could not say how long the woman had been dead. Some neighbors reported hearing a single gunshot between 7 and 11 a.m.

“We have limited information at this point,” said Mesa Sgt. Chuck Trapani. “We are trying to develop some leads with family and friends.”

The homicide is Mesa’s 12th this year.

—–

Copyright (c) 2006, The Tribune, Mesa, Ariz.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.