In the early morning hours of November 12, 2022, the life of Raymond Neri, a 53-year-old Hispanic male from Brawley, California, was tragically cut short in Somerton, Arizona. Neri was discovered with a gunshot wound in the parking lot of the Cocopah Casino at approximately 1:51 a.m. He was quickly transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into Neri's death revealed a larger, more violent incident involving a second
victim. Also killed was 30-year-old Joel Vazquez. Authorities identified 47-year-old Francisco Santiago Tapia-Munoz as the suspect in both murders. Following the incident, Tapia-Munoz was apprehended by law enforcement.
Francisco Santiago Tapia-Munoz was subsequently charged with a litany of felonies, including two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault, misconduct involving weapons, and unlawful flight from pursuing law enforcement. During his court appearance, he was ordered to be held in custody without bond. While the family of Joel Vazquez was present in court and had reportedly had previous issues with the suspect, Neri's family was not in attendance.
