River Nesta Maize, 24, was killed after a violent home intrusion in Prescott, Arizona, in the early morning hours of November 29, 2023. A 911 call placed at about 6:53 a.m. reported that two people had been shot at a residence on Peace Lane. Officers found River with a single gunshot wound to his abdomen; he was transported to Yavapai Regional Medical Center and later pronounced deceased.

A man who had called 911, later identified as 47-year-old Taj Stephens of Yuma, was found outside the home with superficial head wounds and treated and released. Also shot at the scene was 29-year-old Cheyenne Miller of Prescott; she was flown to a Phoenix-area hospital in critical condition and later released. Stephens was booked on burglary and misconduct with weapons charges; Miller was charged with burglary, sale or transportation of narcotic drugs, possession of a narcotic drug for sale, and misconduct involving weapons. Both were held at the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office as the investigation into Maize’s death continued.

River Maize was born July 3, 1999, in Huntington Beach, California, and moved with his parents to Prescott in 2005. Described by family as kind and gregarious, he worked in his family’s Reata Pass Gallery as an assistant manager and art supervisor and was remembered for his smile and love of art. Does anyone have information about what happened at the Peace Lane residence that morning or knew River personally?