In the late hours of a Thursday night in Mesa, Arizona, a dispute between neighbors escalated into a tragedy that claimed the life of 39-year-old Ivana Liversedge. On September 30, 2021, she and her companion, 54-year-old Shawn M. Conner, were found with gunshot wounds on a sidewalk in the 700 block of South Del Rancho. When police arrived shortly before midnight, both were pronounced dead at the scene.
The events leading to the fatal encounter began as a disagreement between two
couples. Liversedge and Conner had become involved in a dispute with Justin Peterson, 41, and his wife. According to police reports, a romantic relationship of some kind had recently developed and then soured between Liversedge and the Petersons, leading to a confrontation that evening.
The argument reportedly turned physical, with Peterson’s wife and Liversedge engaging in a fight. In response to the altercation, Justin Peterson is said to have produced a firearm and shot both Liversedge and Conner. Following an investigation into the incident, Mesa police arrested Justin Peterson. He was taken into custody on suspicion of second-degree murder and reckless discharge of a firearm.
