Teen faces first degree murder charge in death of ex-girlfriend's mother

MESA, AZ - A 16-year-old boy who allegedly shot and killed his ex-girlfriend's mother Monday in Mesa has been identified and will be charged as an adult.

The Maricopa County Attorney's Office told ABC15 the teen has been identified as Braden Matthew Rockriver.

Maricopa County Attorney's Office spokesman Jerry Cobb confirmed the teen is facing one count of first degree murder and one count of first degree burglary.

Mesa Police Sgt. Ed Wessing said the 16-year-old was arrested Monday afternoon for fatally shooting 42-year-old Denna Strebe at the family's East Valley home.

According to Wessing, officers responded to the residence near Hawes and Baseline roads around 2:40 p.m. Police reportedly found Strebe lying in the laundry room with a gunshot wound to the head.

Strebe was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she died from her injuries.

Wessing told ABC15 statements from the victim's family identified the boyfriend of the woman's 18-year-old daughter as the shooter.

Strebe's son reportedly saw the 16-year-old exiting the laundry room after the shot was fired and confronted the armed suspect. The altercation woke the victim's husband, who intervened in the fight and disarmed the teen.

Wessing said Strebe's husband then ran to the laundry room, where he found his wife fatally injured. During the chaos, the suspect reportedly fled from the home through a bedroom window.

Mesa officers located the suspect around 5:15 p.m. at a nearby apartment complex, where he was taken into custody without incident.

During an interview with investigators, the teen reportedly admitted to stealing his father's gun and walking to his ex-girlfriend's home. Once there, he waited inside the garage until Strebe exited the home.

Wessing said the suspect then forced the 42-year-old back inside the house at gunpoint. A brief struggle erupted between the two and the weapon discharged, striking the victim in the head.

The suspect reportedly told Mesa police he intended to go to the family's home and kill himself or kill his ex-girlfriend then kill himself.

The 16-year-old has been booked into the Maricopa County Juvenile Detention Facility on one count of first degree murder and one count of first degree burglary.