In a north Phoenix hotel room on April 18, 2015, 34-year-old Charlene Schwartz was found dead in a pool of blood. The discovery was made after hotel employees grew concerned about two dogs locked inside a car in the parking lot, which was later determined to belong to Charlene. A Caucasian woman, she was not a registered guest at the hotel but had been visiting someone. When police gained access to the room she had been in, they found her deceased. Paramedics were called to the scene and pronounced her dead shortly after their arrival.
The investigation into Charlene's death quickly centered on her husband, 34-year-old Michael Anthony Schwarz of Chandler, Arizona. According to witnesses, Michael had checked into the hotel the previous night with another woman. Throughout the night, Charlene was seen in the hotel lobby. At one point, around 2:30 a.m., she attempted to get a key to Michael's room but was denied because she was not a registered guest. An hour later, she was reportedly seen arguing with the woman who was with her husband.
By 4:30 a.m., the arguments had escalated, and hotel employees overheard a dispute between Charlene and Michael coming from inside his room, with one staff member reporting hearing her yell, 'Don't touch me.' Shortly after this, Michael and his female companion were seen leaving the hotel. In a later phone call to Charlene's mother, Michael claimed he had not seen his wife in over 24 hours. However, Charlene's mother informed police that there was a history of domestic disputes between the couple.
The woman who had been with Michael at the hotel told police that Charlene had texted her, which led to them meeting at the hotel. She also stated that she witnessed Michael and Charlene arguing inside the room before hearing a gunshot from the bathroom. After the gunshot, she said Michael exited the bathroom, and they both left the hotel. Based on the investigation and witness statements, Michael Anthony Schwarz was arrested at his home in Chandler at approximately 10 p.m. on April 18. He was taken into custody on suspicion of second-degree murder.
