An unidentified 23-year-old man was taken into custody by Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office deputies on suspicion of murder after a fatal shooting in Verde Villages on Thursday, Sept. 1, YCSO Public Information Officer Dwight D’Evelyn said.
The suspect, who was dressed in red athletic shorts and a blue T-shirt, repeatedly cried out, “No, no, God, no,” as he waited on his front porch for YCSO detectives to search his home in the 2700 block of Wrangler Way.
YCSO responded to the call, which was originally reported to Cottonwood Police Department, around 12:45 p.m.
The deceased, 23-year-old Xiaorong “Nancy” Wang, was reportedly the man’s girlfriend. Wang was pronounced dead from at least one gunshot wound to her upper body sometime after she was transported to Verde Valley Medical Center for treatment, D’Evelyn said.
The suspect greeted deputies when they arrived shortly before 1 p.m., telling them the woman needed help, D’Evelyn said.
A handgun of unknown caliber was found at the scene, but was not necessarily the murder weapon, he said.
A large section of Wrangler Way at Sabino Trail, which included five houses on both sides of the street, was cordoned off with yellow crime scene tape. YCSO officials asked homeowners within the crime scene area to remain indoors until contacted by detectives.
Deputies pushed bystanders back 500 feet from the scene while detectives were “checking for footprints” around houses where the shooting took place.
Shortly before 2 p.m., the suspect, in handcuffs, was led to the front yard of the house, photographed by D’Evelyn from across the street, and then placed into a YCSO vehicle for transport, possibly to Verde Valley Justice Court, D’Evelyn said.
After questioning by detectives, the suspect will be booked into Yavapai County Detention Center on a charge of homicide, he said.
Evidence at the scene indicated the shooting death was not a suicide, he said.
“This is usually a very quiet neighborhood,” neighbor Dwight Iverson said.
Tom Wacker, a resident of the neighborhood for the past 31 years, said he helped construct the three-bedroom home where the shooting took place.
“It’s very quiet neighborhood and we are trying to keep it that way,” Wacker said. “This is very disturbing.”
