On January 21, 2008, 19-year-old Caritina J Vega was found unresponsive in her Glendale, Arizona, apartment after her mother went to check on her; emergency responders pronounced her dead at the scene. Investigators determined she had been fatally shot.

Detectives interviewed family and friends while investigating the circumstances around her death. Police described a turbulent relationship between Caritina and her boyfriend, including frequent arguments and reports of domestic violence. As forensic findings and witness statements accumulated, investigators identified the boyfriend as a person of interest and arrested him, charging him with second-degree murder in connection with Caritina’s death.