In the early moments of a September morning in Tucson, Arizona, the life of 31-year-old Brandon Hernandez was brought to a violent and tragic end. Just before 12:15 a.m. on September 10, 2023, Tucson police officers and fire department personnel were dispatched to the area of North 1st Avenue and East Wetmore Road following reports of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered a man with evident gunshot wounds.
Despite immediate life-saving efforts by the officers and subsequent measures by the Tucson Fire Department, Brandon Hernandez was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The investigation into the shooting fell to the Homicide Unit, who began to piece together the events that led to Hernandez's death. Detectives learned that the fatal encounter was not a random act of violence. Their investigation revealed that three individuals had planned to confront Hernandez. During this confrontation, he was shot multiple times. Through forensic evidence and interviews, detectives identified the three suspects involved in the planned confrontation.
Over two months later, on November 16, 2023, the Tucson Police Department announced a series of arrests in connection with the murder of Brandon Hernandez. The first suspect identified was 17-year-old Lionel Anthony Lopez. Already incarcerated at the Pima County Jail on unrelated charges, Lopez was served with a warrant for one count of 1st Degree Murder, with his bond set at $1,025,000. On the same day, the other two suspects were located and arrested by the Community Response Team. Karina Valenzuela-Egurrola, 35, and Ryan Michael Maffetone, 34, were also charged with 1st Degree Murder. All three were booked into the Pima County Jail as the investigation was finalized.
