CASA GRANDE, AZ – The death of 17-year-old Hailey Stephens, who was shot down during a house party in Casa Grande, has led to the arrest of two teenage boys. The Casa Grande Police Department announced the arrest on Tuesday, stating that a 16-year-old male from Casa Grande and a 17-year-old male from Coolidge have been booked into the Pinal County Juvenile Detention Center. Both will be charged with second-degree murder, and their identities were not disclosed.
The fatal incident transpired around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday when the authorities responded to a shooting at East Silver Reef Road and North Olive Avenue. On arrival, they discovered Stephens with a gunshot wound to her head and another 17-year-old girl injured from a gunshot in her arm. The investigation revealed that a party was in progress at an unoccupied house when a dispute among several attendees escalated into a shooting. In the chaos, stray bullets hit Stephens and the other victim. Both of them were deemed to be innocent bystanders.
The team effort of community members, officers, and detectives in Casa Grande was crucial to the arrests made so far, stated Chief of Police Mark McCrory. He expressed his pride at the consistent work done by the department and the law enforcement collaborators to follow up on the numerous tips and leads. McCrory emphasized that the contribution of the community in providing information has greatly assisted this complex investigation.
The investigation into Stephens’s tragic death is ongoing, with more arrests anticipated soon while detectives continue to interview witnesses of the crime and follow up on tips. The community is urged to share any relevant information to aid in the murder investigation.
To support Stephens’ family with medical and funeral expenses, a GoFundMe campaign was initiated by the Local 3752 Professional Firefighters of Casa Grande. It has seen considerable response with 743 contributors, raising a total of $65,028 as of Tuesday.