On December 1, 2025, 19-year-old Dominic Baysinger was fatally shot in the parking lot of Tempe Marketplace. The incident occurred in the morning, near the RoadRunner Sports store, where Baysinger had arranged to meet individuals for a private online transaction. He was accompanied by his girlfriend at the time of the deadly encounter. Baysinger was pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound to the neck.
The investigation into the shooting revealed that Baysinger had arranged on
Facebook Marketplace to trade a gold ring and $240 for a handgun. He and his girlfriend met the sellers in the parking lot as planned. Shortly after both parties exited their vehicles, gunshots were fired, and the assailants fled the scene. Baysinger's girlfriend, who was present during the incident, was not physically harmed.
Tempe Police quickly launched an investigation, utilizing witness interviews and surveillance footage from the area. Their efforts led to the identification and arrest of two suspects. The first suspect, identified as Fernando Gallegos, was taken into custody and is facing charges of first-degree murder and armed robbery. Information found on Gallegos's phone, including screenshots of his conversations with Baysinger about the planned robbery, led investigators to the second suspect.
A second arrest was made when authorities apprehended 25-year-old Dante Gaines. He faces charges of first-degree murder and armed robbery with a deadly weapon for his role in the fatal shooting. Court documents revealed that the two men had never intended to complete the trade with Baysinger and had planned to rob him from the outset. After the shooting, the suspects fled and attempted to discard the vehicle they had used. Investigators later found the car, and inside was the ring Baysinger had intended to trade. Both Gallegos and Gaines are being held in connection with the murder.
