In a quiet apartment in Sierra Vista, Arizona, the life of 7-year-old Ariza Chavez-Boilard came to a tragic end. On September 6, 2023, she was found deceased in her bed, the victim of a gunshot wound. Her mother, 42-year-old Christina Boilard, was also found dead in the apartment from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The grim discovery was made by police officers who were conducting a welfare check after neighbors became concerned, having not seen either of them
for two days, which they described as highly unusual.
The investigation into the deaths of Ariza and her mother pointed to a murder-suicide. Authorities believe that Christina Boilard shot her daughter before taking her own life. The Pima County Medical Examiner was tasked with conducting autopsies to confirm the causes of death. This tragic event left family and the community in shock and mourning. A GoFundMe page was established by Ariza's grandmother to help with the unexpected arrangements.
Further details about Christina Boilard's life emerged in the aftermath of the tragedy. Her family revealed that she was a veteran of the Gulf War and had been struggling with PTSD. She had also reportedly battled an addiction to opioids. The Arizona Department of Child Safety had a history with the family. In 2017, Ariza was taken into DCS custody due to her mother's daily methamphetamine use and delusional behavior. After Christina Boilard successfully completed services, she was reunified with her daughter, and the DCS case was closed in December 2017. There were no active services being provided to the family by DCS at the time of their deaths. The investigation by the Sierra Vista Police Department concluded that Christina Boilard was the sole person responsible for her daughter's death, and with her subsequent suicide, there were no arrests to be made in the case.
