On a tragic evening in Mesa, Arizona, 45-year-old Rebecca Ann VanderWall, a beloved mother, daughter, and friend, lost her life in a shocking act of domestic violence. The devastating events unfolded on November 21, 2020, inside her home near Main Street and Gilbert Road, leaving a family shattered and a community in mourning.
That Saturday night, what began as a verbal dispute over a home repair project with her husband, 49-year-old Ronald Makinson, escalated into a tragedy.
In a violent turn of events, Ronald shot Rebecca before turning the gun on their adult daughter, Melanie. He then took his own life. When Mesa police officers arrived at the residence, they discovered a harrowing scene. Both Rebecca and Ronald were pronounced dead at the scene from gunshot wounds. Their daughter, though critically injured, survived the attack.
The couple's son, Andrew, was also present in the home at the time of the shooting and witnessed the horrific events. He recounted hearing the gunshots and rushing to his sister's aid, providing what comfort and assistance he could until emergency services arrived. Melanie was transported to a local hospital in critical but stable condition. The bullet had struck her jaw and lodged in her neck, perilously close to her spinal cord.
In the wake of the murder-suicide, friends and family remembered Rebecca as a loving and caring person who was deeply devoted to her children. Her sudden and violent death sent ripples of grief through the community, prompting an outpouring of support for her surviving children. No arrests were made in connection with Rebecca's death, as the sole suspect, her husband, died at the scene.
