In June of 2017, the life of 25-year-old Evin Paulos was tragically cut short in Phoenix, Arizona. Paulos, a man whose family had moved to the United States from war-torn Iraq when he was just four years old in search of a safer life, was found deceased in a lot near Cave Creek and Pinnacle Peak roads on June 3, 2017. An investigation revealed he had been brutally stabbed approximately 30 times.
The primary suspect in the case was identified as Michael Anthony Arredondo, who was 34 years
old at the time of his eventual arrest. Arredondo was reportedly a neighbor and friend of Paulos. Leading up to the incident, the two had a falling out, which included a fistfight. Despite the altercation, Paulos was under the impression that their differences had been settled. On the day of his death, Paulos was seen leaving in a car with Arredondo. An argument broke out between them while they were in the vehicle, which then escalated and moved to the street, where the fatal stabbing occurred.
Following the murder, Arredondo fled the scene and managed to evade capture for over eight years. He initially went to California before crossing the border into Mexico, where he remained for the majority of his time as a fugitive. The case went cold, leaving Paulos's family with years of unanswered questions and grief. A breakthrough finally came in September 2025 when a tip was sent to a GoFundMe page that had been set up in honor of Paulos. A person in Mexico sent a message in Spanish, claiming to know the whereabouts of the suspect. After the family requested proof to ensure it wasn't a scam, the individual sent a picture of Arredondo, confirming his location.
This crucial tip led to a coordinated effort between Mexican authorities, the Phoenix Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Maricopa County Attorney's Office. Michael Anthony Arredondo was arrested in Mexico on September 25, 2025, and extradited to the United States. Upon being interviewed by Phoenix police detectives in San Diego, Arredondo confessed to stabbing Paulos. He was then extradited to Phoenix on October 15, 2025, to face charges of first-degree and second-degree murder and is being held on a $1.5 million bond. While Arredondo admitted to the act, he did not provide a clear motive for the violent attack.
