In the autumn of 2016, a heart-wrenching tragedy unfolded in a Tolleson, Arizona home, forever changing a family. Five-year-old Audrey Arismendez, a young girl described by her family as happy and full of life, was spending the weekend with her father. She had recently started kindergarten and was joined by her four-year-old sister, Ariah, who was looking forward to the day she could join her big sister at school.
On the evening of October 16, 2016, the girls' mother, Carmen Arismendez,
grew concerned and contacted the police to request a welfare check on her daughters at their father's residence. Shortly before her call, a neighbor had reported the sound of gunshots emanating from the home. When officers arrived at the West Elmwood Street house, they discovered a devastating scene inside one of the bedrooms.
Audrey was found deceased, alongside her father, 36-year-old Jerad Joseph Arismendez. Her younger sister, Ariah, was found critically injured and was rushed to a nearby hospital, but she tragically succumbed to her injuries shortly after arrival. The Phoenix Police Department's investigation concluded that Jerad Arismendez had shot and killed his two young daughters before turning the gun on himself in a murder-suicide.
The investigation into the horrific event revealed a history of troubling behavior from the girls' father. Just months prior, in June of 2016, Carmen Arismendez had sought and been granted an order of protection against him. In the court documents, she detailed his 'violent tendencies' and expressed fear for her safety. She accused him of harassment, including making up to 50 calls a day, and of physical violence, alleging he had once held her in a chokehold and prevented her from calling for help. The Department of Child Safety also had a prior report of physical abuse involving Jerad Arismendez from 2004, though that case had been closed after being referred for services. In the wake of the tragedy, no arrests were made as the sole suspect had taken his own life.
