In the early morning hours of January 17, 2023, 52-year-old Charon Mayo, a Black female, was shot and killed in her Buckeye, Arizona, home. The tragic incident unfolded after days of arguments with her husband, 54-year-old Hercelyn Mayo, stemming from her desire for a divorce. While the couple's neighbors described them as a seemingly regular family, a darker reality was brewing within their home.
The disagreement reached a fatal climax when Hercelyn shot Charon multiple times as she lay
in her bed. Evidence from the scene suggested she was under the comforter and sheets, as if asleep or preparing to sleep, when the shooting occurred. After the incident, Hercelyn left the house and drove to a relative's home. He confessed to his brother that he had 'done something bad' and asked him to accompany him to the police station. Approximately 45 minutes after the shooting, Hercelyn Mayo walked into the Buckeye police station and confessed to shooting his wife.
Upon arriving at the Mayo residence, police discovered Charon Mayo deceased in her bed with multiple gunshot wounds. Hercelyn was taken into custody and subsequently charged with first-degree murder. During his interview with investigators, he claimed that he had acted in self-defense, stating that he saw his wife reach for something as he was leaving their bedroom. However, the physical evidence contradicted his account. Blood spatter on his shirt indicated he was in close proximity to his wife when he fired the weapon, and shell casings were not found in the doorway where he claimed to have been standing. Furthermore, Charon's wounds were consistent with being shot at close range.
Further investigation revealed that as a convicted felon, Hercelyn Mayo was prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm, adding another layer to the charges against him. He admitted to owning the gun for safety reasons and stated that both he and his wife were typically armed when they left their home. Hercelyn Mayo was booked into jail and is being held on a $1 million bond.
