On a late Sunday evening in Phoenix, Arizona, the lives of three individuals were tragically cut short in a violent confrontation fueled by a past relationship. Thirty-eight-year-old Eric Sands, a White/Caucasian male, was killed on June 19, 2022, outside the apartment he had recently moved into with his girlfriend. The couple was still in the process of unpacking and settling into their new home when the fatal encounter occurred.
Neighbors reported hearing loud arguments from the apartment in the days leading up to the incident, hinting at a volatile situation that was about to escalate.
The suspect was identified as 24-year-old Taffari Celestine, the ex-boyfriend of Sands's girlfriend, 29-year-old Danica Aiken. Celestine had driven from Tucson to Phoenix to confront the couple. A witness reported seeing Celestine shoot Sands in the front yard of the apartment complex located near 19th Avenue and Buckeye Road. Following the initial shooting, Celestine was seen forcing Aiken back into the apartment. A neighbor who called 911 recounted the harrowing moments, describing screams for help followed by the sound of multiple gunshots.
Upon their arrival, Phoenix police officers discovered Eric Sands deceased on the front lawn from multiple gunshot wounds. After securing the area, the Special Assignment Unit entered the apartment and found Danica Aiken shot to death. Taffari Celestine was also found inside, dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The investigation concluded that Celestine was the sole suspect in the double murder-suicide. In the wake of the tragedy, friends and family of both Eric Sands and Danica Aiken created fundraising campaigns to help with funeral expenses, with remaining funds designated for Aiken's 11-year-old daughter.
