Man found dead in taxi east of Valley

SCOTTSDALE, AZ - Police are investigating after a man was found dead in a taxi in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Monday night.

Det. Vicente Cendejas with the Salt River Police Department said officers responded to a call of a suspicious vehicle in the front yard of a vacant trailer home near the Beeline Highway and Gilbert Road just before 8 p.m.

Officers found an adult male in the "VIP" taxi cab who was unconscious and had serious injuries from blunt force trauma. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police say that possibly connected to this homicide, Salt River police officers responded to the scene of a serious motor vehicle collision on the Beeline Highway south of Shea Boulevard around 7:30 p.m.

One person was ejected from the pickup truck in the collision and police believe the vehicle was stolen.

Police continue to investigate both incidents and hope to have more information to release later in the day.