In the early hours of October 19, 2022, Martin Eric Nelson Jr., a 35-year-old white male from Kingman, Arizona, was found deceased inside a vehicle in Golden Valley. He had sustained a fatal gunshot wound. The events leading to his death began when Nelson and another man, 42-year-old Timothy Burt, went to a property in Golden Valley to recover a stolen trailer.
Upon their arrival at the property, they were confronted by Hunter Allen McGuire, a 26-year-old man also from Kingman.
An altercation ensued, during which McGuire allegedly opened fire, striking and killing Nelson. Burt initially told investigators that he returned fire before fleeing into the desert, where he hid for approximately 12 hours. However, due to inconsistencies in his statements, including initially denying that he was armed, Burt was later arrested on suspicion of hindering prosecution.
The investigation into Nelson's death quickly identified Hunter Allen McGuire as the primary suspect. Authorities discovered that McGuire was also a suspect in several other homicides in both Arizona and Nevada. A search of the Golden Valley property where Nelson was killed, and which was known to be occupied by McGuire and his girlfriend, Samantha Branek, revealed evidence connected to other murders. This led to a multi-state manhunt for McGuire and Branek.
The pursuit of McGuire came to a dramatic end following a high-speed chase near Interstate 40 in Yucca, Arizona. McGuire, Branek, and another woman, 23-year-old Brittany Conkling, abandoned their vehicle and fled into the desert. Conkling eventually surrendered to law enforcement and was arrested on suspicion of hindering prosecution. A short time later, both McGuire and Branek were found dead from gunshot wounds. Authorities believe McGuire died from a self-inflicted gunshot, while the circumstances of Branek's death remained under investigation.
