Police in Arizona are working a homicide investigation after an 18-year-old found dead and a woman was injured after a shooting in Tucson. It happened near Prince Road and Stone Avenue.
The Tucson Police Department said 18-year-old Emma Maria Destiny Dominguez was found dead near Prince and Stone early Wednesday, May 11. A second victim, a woman who has not been named, suffered minor injuries.
Dominguez’s mother, Leanna Alvarez, described her as a independent, fun-loving and caring girl who hoped to one day become a nurse.
Alvarez said her daughter was weeks away from her high school graduation and had just moved out on her own when her life was taken. In their last conversation, Alvarez said, Dominguez asked her not to be angry at her for moving out.
“She was 18 and she needed to start her life. We just spoke for 30 minutes, never thinking that was our last conversation,” Alvarez said. “She felt something ‘cause she never calls me late at night.”
The TPD said 20-year-old Andres Machado was taken into custody with the assistance of several units, including SWAT and K-9, on Thursday, May 12.
Machado is facing charges of second-degree murder (for Dominguez’s death) and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (the injuries to the other woman). He is being held on a $505,000 secured bond.
Alvarez said she didn’t know Machado or that he and her daughter had been in a relationship.
During Machado’s initial court appearance, the public defender’s office requested a bond of $25,000. The judge refused due to Machado’s criminal history.
Machado is facing several probation violations for the previous charges, including domestic violence, theft and criminal damage. Prosecutors may upgrade his murder charge to first-degree due to those violations.
According to the interim complaint, Machado and Dominguez were in an “on-again, off-again” relationship. Dominguez was also allegedly in a relationship with the other woman who was injured in the incident.
The other woman told investigators Machado showed up when she and Dominguez went to the Circle K at 10 West Fort Lowell. The woman said she did not know Machado.
The woman told officers Machado approached their vehicle while “reaching for his waistband.” She said she thought Machado was going to shoot them, so she drove off.
That is when Machado allegedly shot at the car and hit Dominguez in the neck.
The woman said she called 911, drove to Prince and Stone and tried to help Dominguez.
Machado allegedly followed them to Prince and Stone so the woman said she got into a fight with him. She said Machado shot at her before punching her in the face.
Machado claimed he went to that Circle K to pick up Dominguez so she could “start her relationship” with him. He claimed it looked like the woman was keeping Dominguez from getting out of the vehicle so he pulled his gun to scare her into letting Dominguez go.
Machado told investigators the woman drove off, made a 180-degree turn and then drove straight at him. He claimed he fired once without aiming. The TPD said that bullet was the one that struck Dominguez in the neck.
Machado said he followed the vehicle to Prince and Stone, where he claimed to find Dominguez bleeding. Machado told officers he thought the other woman beat up Dominguez so he shot at and punched her.
According to the TPD, both shootings were captured on security video and Machado can be seen firing the gun both times.
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