In the early morning hours in Phoenix, Arizona, a man flagged down police officers in the parking lot of the Maryvale Estrella Mountain Precinct. What he had to tell them was chilling: his girlfriend, 32-year-old Jessica Guzman, a female, was dead in the back of his pickup truck. The man, identified as 36-year-old Josue Barreras Anaya, was taken into custody, and an investigation into the tragic death of Jessica began.
Officers discovered her body wrapped in a comforter in the bed of the truck, suffering from a gunshot wound. The Phoenix Fire Department was called to the scene and pronounced her deceased.
According to Anaya's account to the police, the incident began in a home near 71st Avenue and Thomas Road. He claimed that a semiautomatic pistol he kept under his pillow fell to the ground, startling Jessica. An argument and a struggle over the weapon allegedly ensued, resulting in the gun discharging twice. One of the shots fatally struck Jessica. Investigators later recovered a blood-stained pillow with a projectile inside and a handgun from a bedroom in the residence.
Jessica’s family painted a grim picture of her relationship with Anaya, stating that they had been worried about her safety for some time. Her brother revealed that Jessica had previously told them Anaya was abusive and had isolated her from her family. He expressed their heartbreak, saying they had tried to warn her of the danger she was in. A fundraising page set up by the family described Jessica as a loving daughter, sister, and mother who leaves behind a young son. Josue Barreras Anaya has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with Jessica Guzman's death.
