Mesa home invasion: 1 dead, another wounded, police say
Here is the story: by Angela Piazza- Jan. 4, 2012 07:35 PM
A man has been arrested in Mesa and accused of fatally shooting a woman during a burglary, according to officials.
Wesley Wailes, 23, is accused of breaking into a home in the 2700 block of South Date about 9:55 p.m. Tuesday. A 69-year-old resident, Jerry Patty, told police that he heard his 24-year-old granddaughter, Marialuisa Alveraz, yelling at someone in her bedroom and went to investigate. He discovered a man wearing a black ski mask. Patty put his hand up to stop the man from approaching him when he was shot. The bullet grazed his abdomen, hit his elbow and then struck Alveraz in the upper torso, police said.
According to authorities, Alveraz died before police arrived.
Perry's wife and Alveraz's 3-year-old child were also present inside the home. Perry's wife told police that she saw two men wearing ski masks inside the home.
Authorities with K-9 units searched the area and discovered Wailes hiding in a rubber container in a back yard near 400 W. Mendoza. A semi-automatic pistol was also found inside the container.
According to authorities, Wailes told police that he and an unidentified accomplice were burglarizing the home because they knew that Alveraz's boyfriend, who is an acquaintance, would not be home and that there were valuables inside. He said Alveraz was yelling at his accomplice, which alerted Patty, because she caught the intruder attempting to take her purse. Authorities reported that Wailes told investigators he fired a shot at Patty to scare him and did not intend to kill anyone.
