In the early afternoon of June 20, 2025, a violent robbery at a Tucson, Arizona pawn shop tragically cut short the life of 47-year-old Anthony David Tarli, a white male employee at the establishment. The events unfolded at Quick Trip Pawn on West Prince Road when a gunman entered the store. Surveillance footage later reviewed by investigators showed the assailant firing a warning shot into the ceiling before engaging in a gunfire exchange with Tarli.
Despite bravely returning fire, Tarli was struck.
Emergency responders from the Tucson Fire Department rushed Tarli to a local hospital, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. Another man, 49-year-old customer Francisco Vejar, was also shot and killed during the incident, pronounced dead at the scene. The gunman proceeded to steal multiple firearms from a display case before fleeing the scene.
Detectives quickly launched an investigation, and a crucial lead came from the getaway vehicle, a silver Toyota Prius that had been rented in Chandler. Investigators used GPS records to track the car to an apartment complex in Glendale later that same evening. There, Glendale police detained two suspects, identified as 44-year-old David Javier Maldonado and 23-year-old Amari Taivonne Harris. One of the suspects was found with a duffel bag containing several firearms stolen from the pawn shop. Subsequent searches of residences in Glendale and Tucson uncovered more of the stolen weapons.
Maldonado and Harris were transported back to Tucson and booked into the Pima County Jail. They were charged with two counts of first-degree murder, as well as aggravated robbery, armed robbery, and robbery. Investigators believe the pair had visited the pawn shop earlier in the day, speaking with the manager about firearms before returning to commit the deadly robbery.
