In the late morning of August 20, 2020, law enforcement was dispatched to a residence in Tonopah, Arizona, following reports of a shooting. Upon entering the home, deputies from the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office discovered the bodies of 39-year-old Jasmine Mary Licea and 41-year-old Michael Berumen. Both had sustained fatal gunshot wounds. The five children Licea shared with Berumen were present in the home at the time of the tragic incident.
Investigators have not publicly labeled
the event a murder-suicide, though they have stated that there are no suspects being sought in connection with the deaths. The investigation brought to light previous domestic turmoil between Licea and Berumen. Several months prior, in April of that year, Licea had accused Berumen of domestic violence.
Court documents from the time show a contentious period for the couple. Berumen had filed for sole custody of their children after Licea had moved back to her home state of New Jersey. A court order had mandated her return to Arizona. In her own court filings, Licea alleged that Berumen had threatened her with a firearm and was behaving erratically due to drug use. The domestic violence case was ultimately dismissed, reportedly because the couple seemed to have reconciled their differences. Following the deaths, friends of Licea organized a GoFundMe campaign to provide support for her five children.
