In the early morning hours of January 28, 2022, a tragic event unfolded in a Mesa, Arizona home that resulted in the deaths of two individuals. Mottio Paschal, a 32-year-old Hispanic male, and 24-year-old Makinley Charnoski were found deceased from gunshot wounds in the backyard of a residence near Alma School Road and Main Street. Police were summoned to the scene just before 3 a.m.
after receiving a report of a shooting.
The investigation into the double homicide revealed a sinister plot orchestrated by 54-year-old Aaron Thomas. Evidence indicated that Thomas had meticulously planned the crime, arming himself with a gun, gloves, and a mask before arranging a purported drug transaction with the victims. Upon his arrival at the home, Thomas shot Paschal in the back shortly after Paschal had turned away from the door. As Charnoski reacted in terror, begging for her life, Thomas shot her multiple times at close range before turning the gun on Paschal again.
Following an intensive investigation, Aaron Thomas was identified as the primary suspect. Law enforcement officials were able to link him to the crime scene through DNA evidence recovered from a retaining wall and surveillance footage from the area. Thomas was apprehended at his home in Laveen on March 10, 2022. A handgun discovered at his residence was determined to be the same caliber as the weapon used in the murders. While Thomas admitted to being in the vicinity on the night of the killings, he denied entering the home where the victims were found.
Despite his initial denial, the evidence against Aaron Thomas was overwhelming. He was subsequently charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of armed robbery, and one count of burglary. In December 2023, a jury found him guilty on all charges. On May 3, 2024, Thomas was sentenced to two consecutive natural life sentences for the murders, in addition to 21 years for each of the other charges, ensuring he would spend the remainder of his life in prison for the cold-blooded and calculated murders of Mottio Paschal and Makinley Charnoski.
