A wave of violence on a quiet Sunday in Tonopah, Arizona, on February 8, 2026, claimed the life of 13-year-old Angel Perez, a Hispanic male, and his mother in a tragic act of domestic violence. The devastating incident unfolded when Angel, his mother, Guadalupe "Lupita" Niebla Perez, and other family members were shot.
That evening, the family was traveling to their property in Tonopah when a violent altercation erupted. The suspected shooter, identified by family as Angel's stepfather and his mother's partner, opened fire on the family. Angel's mother, Guadalupe, was fatally wounded at the scene. In a heroic act, Angel reportedly tried to intervene to protect his mother but was tragically shot and killed by his stepfather.
The violence also left Angel's 13-year-old sister, Emma, critically injured. She was shot three times as she shielded her younger siblings from the gunfire. Amid the chaos, another sibling, an 11-year-old, managed to find a phone and call 911 for help.
When Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies arrived at the scene near Indian School Road and 439th Avenue, they found a devastating scene with multiple victims. The suspect, Angel's stepfather, was also injured and was transported to a local hospital. While law enforcement officials have stated that there are no outstanding suspects, indicating the person responsible has been identified, the name of the stepfather has not been officially released, and details regarding his arrest and any subsequent charges have not been made public. The investigation into the double homicide is ongoing.
