MESA, AZ — Mesa police are investigating after a woman was found dead following a welfare check near Ellsworth and Ray roads Saturday morning.
Officers responded to a home near Kinetic Drive and Reliance Way after receiving a welfare check call for service, according to the Mesa Police Department.
When officers arrived, they located a woman who had been shot. She was identified on Sunday as 32-year-old Maria Lewis. Lewis's family tells ABC15 she was loyal and devoted mother to seven children. They say she was on a walk in the early morning hours of Saturday when a neighbor shot her. The family has created a GoFundMe account to help with expenses.
Mesa Police have not made any arrests in the case so far but say the investigation is ongoing. Police did tell ABC15 they have identified everyone involved in the shooting.
A source told ABC15 the alleged shooter is an investigator with the Arizona Attorney General's office.
In a statement to ABC15, a spokesperson for the AG's office said the employee "has been employed by the Attorney General's Office since February 2016. He was placed on administrative leave this weekend pending the Mesa Police Department's investigation. The Attorney General's Office is fully cooperating with the Mesa PD investigation and will conduct an internal review. I can’t answer questions or confirm anything related to the investigation. No additional details have been released."
