Connect with us

Southwest

Killer of Tucson girl who disappeared in 2012 finally found, but he is already serving life sentence

Published

on

Killer of Tucson girl who disappeared in 2012 finally found, but he is already serving life sentence

A man already serving a life sentence for the 2014 death of an Arizona teenager was convicted Thursday of first-degree murder in the killing of another Tucson girl years earlier.

Pima County Superior Court jurors also found Christopher Clements, 42, guilty of kidnapping and burglary in the death of Isabel Celis, who was 6 when she vanished from her parents’ home in 2012.

Clements is scheduled to be sentenced March 25.

EX-AZ EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WORKERS USED ‘GHOST STUDENTS’ TO LAUNDER VOUCHER MONEY

Jurors began deliberating Tuesday in Clements’ retrial, which began Feb 7. Jurors in the earlier trial failed to reach a verdict last year, prompting a mistrial.

Advertisement

Clements became a suspect in Celis’ death in 2017, when he told FBI agents that he could lead them to the girl’s remains — but said he had nothing to do with her death — in exchange for having charges in an unrelated burglary case dropped, Tucson police said.

In closing arguments Tuesday, Deputy County Attorney Tracy Miller told jurors it was no coincidence that no one except Clements found Celis in the five years she was missing, the Arizona Daily Star reported.

Christopher Clements, who is already serving a life sentence for the 2014 death of an Arizona teenager, was convicted on Feb. 29, 2024, of first-degree murder in the killing of another Tucson girl years earlier. (Fox News)

“He doesn’t come forward unless there is something to gain,” Miller said. “There’s no other person it could be.”

Clements’ attorney, Eric Kessler, told jurors that nothing linked Clements to the crime and police couldn’t prove he entered the home, the Arizona Daily Star reported.

Advertisement

Clements was arrested in 2018 in the deaths of Celis and 13-year-old Maribel Gonzalez, who disappeared in June 2014 while walking to a friend’s house.

Gonzalez’s body was found days later in a remote area north of Tucson. Celis’ remains were discovered years later in the same general area.

Clements was sentenced to natural life in prison in 2022 for kidnapping and killing Gonzalez. Jurors in Clements’ retrial weren’t told of that conviction or his history of convictions for sex crimes in several states dating back to when he was 16.

Celis’ mother and brother were both in the courtroom Thursday but left after the verdict was read, according to Tucson TV station KOLD.

Advertisement

A call to Kessler seeking comment on the verdict was not immediately returned.

Miller told KOLD that the “jury did a great job sorting through all of the evidence and all of the info we had to reach what we believe was the right result.”

Read the full article from Here

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Los Angeles, Ca

Man wanted for deadly Los Angeles road rage shooting extradited from Mexico

Published

on

Man wanted for deadly Los Angeles road rage shooting extradited from Mexico

A man wanted for a deadly road rage shooting in Los Angeles was arrested and extradited from Mexico after fleeing the U.S. in 2024.

The suspect was identified as Christian Rojas, 21, of Bellflower, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Authorities had been searching for him since the deadly incident on October 10, 2024. 

Rojas and a second suspect, Joshua Rojas Sr., 47, of Downey, were driving on the northbound 5 Freeway in Boyle Heights around 4 p.m. when they became involved in an altercation with another driver that escalated into a shooting.

  • Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01)
  • Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01)
  • Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01)
  • Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01)
  • Christian Rojas, 21, of Bellflower, was arrested and extradited to the U.S. from Mexico on June 2, 2026, in connection with a deadly road rage shooting in Los Angeles. (California Highway Patrol)

Video of the tense confrontation showed the suspects, who were driving a Dodge Durango SUV, opening fire on two men in a Cadillac sedan. 

The shooting forced the victim to pull over abruptly. That’s when a suspect ran up to the Cadillac, opened the passenger-side door and fired several shots at close range.

Advertisement

In a panic, the Cadillac driver tried to escape by making a sudden U-turn and driving against oncoming traffic. He eventually crashed head-on into several vehicles.

The suspects ditched their SUV and fled toward a freeway exit on foot. The Cadillac driver was left with serious injuries and his passenger was killed. Their identities were not released.

The incident caused a miles-long backup that left thousands of motorists stranded on the freeway for hours and authorities worked to clear the scene.

Following an extensive investigation, detectives identified the two men as the suspects involved. 

Joshua Rojas Sr. was arrested in San Bernardino on October 22, 2024, on a murder charge. He remains in custody awaiting trial.

Advertisement

Meanwhile, Christian Rojas had fled the U.S. and was hiding in Mexico, detectives said. A $4.3 million bail warrant was issued for his arrest. 

“Through a coordinated international effort, investigators determined that Rojas was living in Palomo de Arriba, Mexico,” CHP officials said. “The U.S. Marshals Service worked with Mexican state police to locate and arrest him on the outstanding warrant.”

On June 2, 2026, Christian was arrested and extradited to the U.S. to face a murder charge. 

“This arrest demonstrates that time and distance will not shield violent offenders from justice,” said CHP Southern Division Chief Chris Margaris. “For nearly two years, our detectives remained relentless in their pursuit of those responsible for this senseless act of violence. Through exceptional collaboration with the United States Marshals Service and our law enforcement partners in Mexico, we located and apprehended this suspect and brought him back to face the charges. We remain committed to protecting the public, supporting victims and their families, and holding violent criminals accountable wherever they may try to hide.”

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Los Angeles, Ca

NB 405 Freeway closed near LAX after pursuit ends in gunfire

Published

on

NB 405 Freeway closed near LAX after pursuit ends in gunfire

The northbound 405 Freeway will remain closed for several hours near Los Angeles International Airport after a police pursuit ended with officers opening fire Friday morning. Unconfirmed reports indicated the incident began with a robbery at a 7-Eleven store, which ended with Los Angeles Police Department officers pursuing the suspect in a Kia. The chase […]

Continue Reading

Los Angeles, Ca

'Top Gun: Maverick' actor identified as victim stabbed to death in Tarzana

Published

on

'Top Gun: Maverick' actor identified as victim stabbed to death in Tarzana

The victim in a bizarre and deadly stabbing in Tarzana has been identified as 81-year-old character actor James Handy, best known for a recent role in Tom Cruise’s “Top Gun: Maverick.” The stabbing happened around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in the 19200 block of Erwin Street in the West Valley area. Officers responded after receiving a […]

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending