In the quiet desert city of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, a domestic dispute escalated to a fatal conclusion on the night of Thursday, May 12, 2022, claiming the life of 28-year-old Thane Stanley. That evening, at approximately 9:36 p.m., police were dispatched to a residence in the 3400 block of Big Chief Drive following a report of a shooting.
Upon their arrival, officers discovered that a domestic altercation had taken place between Thane Stanley, a White male, and 56-year-old Richard
Sikkenga, both residents of Lake Havasu City. The confrontation turned violent when Sikkenga produced a handgun and shot Stanley. It was Sikkenga himself who then dialed 9-1-1 to report the incident. Despite the life-saving measures attempted by the responding officers, Thane Stanley succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
Detectives from the Lake Havasu City Police Department's Criminal Investigations Unit were called to the scene to begin their inquiry into the shooting. During the investigation, Richard Sikkenga made a claim of self-defense in the shooting of Thane Stanley. At the time of the initial reports, no arrests had been made in connection with the incident. The case was still under active investigation by detectives, who planned to submit their findings to the Mohave County Attorney's Office for review upon completion.
