In the spring of 2015, the community of Buckeye, Arizona, was shaken by the tragic death of 19-year-old Matthew Christensen. On the evening of Tuesday, April 28th, Matthew left his home, telling his family he was giving a friend a ride and would be back shortly. When he failed to return, his family grew worried and reported him missing. The following morning, Wednesday, April 29, 2015, a resident taking a walk discovered a body on a neighborhood walking path near 236th Lane and Hilton Avenue, behind Inca Elementary School. The deceased was later identified as Matthew Christensen; he had been shot multiple times.
The Buckeye Police Department's Criminal Investigations unit worked diligently to piece together the events that led to the young man's death. Their investigation was aided by tips from the public after an initial information release to the media. These leads pointed detectives to two local men: 18-year-old Richard Burns and 21-year-old Zackary Howard. Both were residents of Buckeye and were arrested on Thursday, April 30th.
During questioning, both Burns and Howard admitted to their involvement in Matthew's killing. They confessed that they had conspired to rob him at the location where his body was ultimately found. During the course of the robbery, Matthew was shot multiple times. The two men then fled in his car. Investigators learned that the suspects were friends with their victim.
Both Richard Burns and Zackary Howard were booked into the Maricopa County 4th Avenue Jail on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated armed robbery. They later pleaded not guilty, and the case proceeded through the court system. Ultimately, both men were convicted for their roles in the murder. Richard Anthony Burns Jr. was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder. Zackary Chase Howard received a sentence of 18 years in prison.
