A domestic dispute at a family home in Avondale, Arizona, shattered a quiet evening and ended in the tragic death of Ricardo Lopez Sr. A 50-year-old Hispanic man, Lopez Sr. was fatally shot on Saturday, November 20, 2021, at a residence near 103rd Avenue and Indian School Road. The violence erupted from a verbal argument between Lopez Sr. and Terron Brown, who was dating Lopez Sr.’s daughter. During the confrontation, Brown pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots. Lopez Sr.
was struck, as was another family member who was identified in reports as his daughter, Rosa Almanza.
Avondale police officers responded to multiple 911 calls about the shooting just after 8:30 p.m. Arriving at the scene, they found both victims suffering from gunshot wounds. They were transported to a local hospital, where Ricardo Lopez Sr. succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. His daughter survived her non-life-threatening wounds. Investigators quickly identified Brown as the suspect and learned that he had fled the home with his infant child.
Authorities located Brown in the surrounding neighborhood several hours later and took him into custody. At the time of his arrest, he was still with the child and was carrying the handgun believed to have been used in the shooting. He was subsequently booked into jail on charges including murder and aggravated assault.
The case against Terron Brown proceeded to trial. In the fall of 2025, a jury found him guilty of one count of second-degree murder, three counts of aggravated assault, and two counts of unlawful discharge of a firearm. In February 2026, Brown was sentenced to 43 years in prison for the murder of Ricardo Lopez Sr. and the attack on his family, bringing the legal case to a close.
