Authorities have arrested and booked Loretto Kyle Alegria in death of 7-year-old girl in Ajo

Pima County Sheriff's detectives have arrested a 19-year-old man in connection with the death of a 7-year-old girl found in a wash in Ajo on Thursday evening.

Deputy Dawn Barkman says leads and evidence at the wash helped detectives find additional evidence in a home where they believe the girl was murdered before being dumped.

Authorities have arrested and booked Loretto Kyle Alegria into the county jail on suspicion of first-degree murder.

Barkman says two young girls riding their bicycles spotted the body and called for help from a nearby home. Detectives investigated the death as a homicide because of apparent blunt force trauma. The child's name was not released.

Ajo is about 40 miles south of Gila Bend.

Laveen beer run murder at the Tumbleweed convenience store brought in public tips

Maricopa County Sheriff's investigators have arrested a Laveen man in connection with the shooting death of a convenience store clerk Saturday night. The Sheriff's Office says Alexander Fredericks, 22, shot and killed Antoun Hayek while trying to steal two 30-packs of beer from the Tumbleweed convenience store on 51st Ave. near Baseline.

Following the murder, the Sheriff's Office released surveillance photos showing the suspect entering the store (shown below), and asked for the public's help in identifying the suspect. Tips leds to Fredericks' arrest.

He was booked into jail on suspicion of first degee murder and burglary

Break-in leaves 1 dead, 1 arrested

One man is dead and another faces one count of first-degree murder in an overnight home break-in, police said Sunday.

The name of the 51-year-old victim has not yet been released.

Police arrested Paul Wegele, 31, who was found hiding in a bedroom.

Officers responded to a 911 call around 12:38 a.m. at a home in the 6900 block of E. Wethersfield Road.

The communications operator heard sounds, but could not make contact with the caller, said Sgt. Tommy Thompson of the Phoenix Police Department.

Arriving officers said they saw someone walking around inside the home, but he would not open the door when police knocked.

Officers said they found the carport door to the home had been forced open, Thompson said. They entered the home and found the man's body and Wegele, who was in a bedroom.

Ernesto Castruita-Rodriguez, aka Leo Mungia Rodriguez charged in '07 murder near I-17 and Bumble Bee Road

On August 11, 2008, detectives from the Eastern Criminal Investigations Section of the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office, charged 27-year-old Ernesto Castruita-Rodriguez, aka Leo Mungia Rodriguez, with the murder of 24-year-old Arnulfo Medevil-Portillo. Rodriguez is currently in the custody of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) on unrelated charges.

On July 31, 2007, a body, later identified as Portillo, was discovered by a man visiting the area off of Bumble Road, west of the I17. Portillo had been shot several times and was obviously deceased. Portillo was an undocumented Mexican National who resided in the Phoenix area. After an intensive investigation that spanned several months, detectives located suspect Rodriguez and he has since admitted involvement in the homicide. Although the investigation remains active, detectives believe drugs may have been a factor in Portillo's murder.

Rodriguez has been charged with Murder in the 2nd Degree which will result in an arrest warrant and the eventual transfer of custody to YCSO from MCSO.

Citizens can contact the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office with information or questions at (928) 771-3260 or the YCSO website: www.ycsoaz.gov