In the quiet community of Goodyear, Arizona, a domestic tragedy unfolded, claiming the life of 29-year-old Matthew Bartholomew Oliver. On the evening of May 20, 2020, police responded to a call for a man down at a residence near 163rd Drive and Buchanan Street. Upon their arrival, they discovered a grim scene that would soon be classified as a double murder-suicide.
Inside the home, officers found Leonard Payne, 57, deceased. As they continued to investigate the unsettling silence of the house, they also discovered the body of 59-year-old Deborah Powers. In another part of the home, they found her son, Matthew Oliver, critically injured. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but tragically, he succumbed to his injuries.
Subsequent investigations by the Goodyear Police Department revealed a heartbreaking narrative. It is believed that Leonard Payne, who was Matthew's stepfather, was the perpetrator of the violence. Authorities suspect that Payne shot and killed both his wife, Deborah, and his stepson, Matthew, before turning the weapon on himself. As the sole suspect in the double homicide, Payne's death at the scene concluded the investigation into the tragic event, leaving a family shattered by violence.
