Four people charged with murder are waiting their day in court.
Gus Terrell Finklea, 27, of Goodyear was killed Dec. 4 during a home invasion in the 600 block of S. Second Street.
Finklea and four others had driven up to Cottonwood to intimidate a resident into returning some items, according to the Cottonwood Police Department.
Calvin Clark, 28, of Goodyear, and Jermaine Shields, 21, of Buckeye, were charged with two counts of first degree murder, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, first degree burglary, four counts of aggravated assault and endangerment. Clark was also charged with possession of a narcotic and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Both men are being held without bond at the Yavapai County Detention Center in Camp Verde.
Two women, Hope Olszewski, 20, of Buckeye and Karrie Ann Funkhouser, 22, of Phoenix, were also charged with two counts of first degree murder, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, first degree burglary, four counts of aggravated assault and endangerment.
Olszewski was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.
The women are being held on a $50,000 bond.
Finklea and the other two men reportedly approached the resident in his yard a few minutes before 11 p.m.
The resident was working on a vehicle and ran inside his house. The men followed and forced their way in, according to police reports.
A struggle ensued and the resident managed to fire a gun that was already inside the house, killing Finklea.
The two women were waiting in the car during the incident.
Since the death occurred during a felony, all of the intruders and their accomplices have been charged with murder.
Cottonwood Police Commander Gary Eisenga said that one count of murder stems from the death occurring during an armed robbery. The second count stems from the death taking place during a burglary.
Eisenga said he didn’t know who owned the gun that killed Finklea, only that it was in the house.
The suspects had a fake gun with them, Eisenga said.
“We believe they bought it on the way up from Phoenix to intimidate the man into giving their property back,” Eisenga said. “It was very realistic looking.”
Eisenga said that the items in question were just an assortment of common miscellaneous items.
The suspects and the resident apparently hadn’t known each other for long.
“It seems that they became acquainted about a week before,” Eisenga said.
The case has now been transferred to Yavapai County Superior Court Division 7.
