As an attempted burglary in Cornville’s Verde Santa Fe subdivision last month suggests, having the firepower to back up your words may prevent tragedy.
On Saturday, Sept. 17, Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to a home on the 5600 block of E. Whisper Ridge in Cornville. The homeowner, in his 80s, had been awakened by the sound of someone rummaging through his cabinet drawers. The homeowner grabbed his handgun, confronted a male suspect and ordered the man to lie on the floor. When the homeowner left the room to retrieve his phone, the suspect escaped out the front door.
The homeowner, who asked not to be identified, said Friday, Oct. 14, that he pointed his Ruger single-action revolver — a target weapon able to fire both standard .22 caliber bullets and larger .22 magnum bullets — at the suspect’s head with the intent to shoot if the man charged.
“I said, ‘If you move, I’ll blow your head off’ …. If he’d brought a weapon out or started to charge me, I would’ve had to shoot him,” the homeowner reported, adding that the suspect was docile in response to the threat. “I didn’t have to shoot the guy. He did exactly what I told him to do …. He was so visibly shaken and scared that he may give up on [breaking in to people’s homes].”
According to the homeowner and YCSO, the suspect attempted to enter through the back security screen door but was unable to gain access. He then entered the home through an unlocked and open front window, where the suspect removed a screen. The homeowner said that he had gotten into the habit of keeping the window open to increase air circulation.
“Labels and signs indicating the victim’s home was alarmed were displayed around the property,” Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office Media Relations Coordinator Dwight D’Evelyn stated via press release. “Deputies believe once the screen was removed, the suspect waited in darkness alongside the house to see if anyone heard him or if the alarm would activate. Neither occurred and the suspect entered the home.”
The homeowner admitted that if he had taken his phone to bed, the suspect would likely have been arrested. The homeowner was out of the suspect’s proximity for less than a minute, “maybe 15 seconds,” but it was enough for the suspect to escape.
The suspect has not been caught. None of the homeowner’s property was taken. According to YCSO, the suspect is described as a “Hispanic or a darker-skinned white male, in his 20s to 30s, average to tall height, and stocky but not fat. The suspect spoke English clearly with no accent as he begged the homeowner not to shoot him. The victim could not provide further details due to darkness.”
On Oct. 12, YCSO updated the description to include the suspect appeared to have a shaved head or close-cropped hair.
“While searching the neighborhood for this suspect, deputies noticed several homes with open windows and front doors with security screens,” D’Evelyn stated. “Average security screen doors do not afford the same protection as securely installed solid core doors with a quality deadbolt and unlocked windows provide the opportunity for prowlers to access the home.
“Remember, any noise a suspect makes to overcome good security measures may provide the homeowner and neighbors a chance to detect the activity and contact law enforcement. It is easy to get complacent in these low-crime neighborhoods, but simply securing your home properly may prevent a similar incident. These layers of security, including exterior lighting, are important to deter criminal activity.
Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Bureau are investigating the incident and continue to seek any information from the public which would help identify the suspect. Contact Detective Todd Swaim at (928) 554-8605 or Yavapai Silent Witness at (800) 932-3232 to provide. Callers to Silent Witness can remain anonymous and become eligible for a cash reward if the tip leads to an arrest based on a direct call to Silent Witness.
Anyone with information about the suspect is urged to call the Sheriff’s Office. Refer to case 16-033574.
