Southwest
Arizona man accused of trying to kill parents because he was 'upset over his upbringing': police
An Arizona man who admitted to shooting his parents told responding police that he’d planned to do so for years because he was “upset over his upbringing,” and was disappointed that they both survived the attack, according to court documents.
Jeremian Estel Blair, 19, faces two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, and is awaiting his May 22 court appearance in Maricopa County Jail on $750,000 bond, according to online records.
Blair’s mother reportedly dialed 911 around 5:42 a.m. Monday, telling dispatchers that she and her husband had been shot by their son, according to the documents obtained by Fox 10 Phoenix.
“Officers arrived at the scene to find [Blair] waiting unarmed for officers in the driveway,” Chandler Police wrote in an incident report obtained by the outlet.
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Jeremiah Blair, 19, faces two counts of first-degree premeditated murder. (Chandler Police Department)
Both parents, whose names were redacted in court documents obtained by Fox 10, were taken to a nearby hospital in stable condition. One reportedly needed surgery.
Blair quickly admitted to shooting his parents with his 9mm handgun, police wrote, and said he had hidden the gun in his bedroom closet and been “planning for years to kill [them].” He had considered other methods, he told police, but thought a firearm would be the most effective.
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Police are pictured responding to the scene of the attempted double homicide in Chandler, Arizona, on Monday morning. (KSAZ)
“[Blair] reported being upset over his upbringing and he felt he was not treated as he should have been as a child,” Chandler Police wrote.
Initially, he told police, he planned to shoot his parents on Mother’s Day but changed his mind.
Blair was sitting on a pickup truck when police arrived and was arrested without incident, Chandler Police said. He quickly admitted to the attempt on his parents’ lives, police said. (KSAZ)
Blair set up a video camera in the kitchen around 1 a.m. and waited for his parents to get ready for work, AZ Family reported.
As his father came down the stairs around 5:30 a.m., Blair told him that he “knew this day was coming” before allegedly firing, per the outlet. He struck his father in the forearm, according to AZ Central.
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Blair told police that he had been planning to kill his parents for years, according to court documents, and that he was disappointed that they survived. (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office)
Blair allegedly shot his mother in the chest as she came down the stairs after hearing the commotion, the AZ Central reported.
“Defendant showed remorse for the fact that his parents will live,” read court documents. “Defendant knew [his] actions [were] wrong, but still attempted to shoot and kill his parents.”
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Jurors deliberating the fate of the man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, failed to reach a verdict Thursday afternoon, telling the judge they were deadlocked.
A spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office told KTLA that jurors will continue to deliberate until they reach a verdict or give up.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver and one-time Pacific Palisades resident, is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The fire continued to smolder underground for about a week, even after Los Angeles firefighters believed it had been extinguished.
Flames reignited on Jan. 7, erupting into the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the upscale community, authorities said.
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A courtroom sketch of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, during his initial court appearance on Oct. 23, 2025. (Bill Robles) -
The U.S. Dept. of Justice booking photo of Jonathan Rinderknecht over the Palisades Fire devastation in Malibu, California in January 2025 (AP).
Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht deliberately set the fire, claiming he had grown increasingly resentful of wealthy residents and viewed Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that frustration.
“Their case, though circumstantial, is strong,” KTLA legal analyst Alison Triessl said. “The defense is relying on, can they (prosecutors) show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Rinderknecht actually started this fire and it wasn’t the result of fireworks or some intervening cause.”
The defense argued there is no direct physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to the fire and said the prosecution’s case relies entirely on circumstantial evidence. Rinderknecht did not testify during the trial.
Defense attorney Steve Haney spoke outside the courthouse Wednesday about why he believes it will be difficult for prosecutors to prove how the fire started.
“The lack of scene preservation. The fact that they got there after a lot of the evidence was missing. Not a lot of direct evidence. This is a circumstantial case, which is always difficult as a prosecutor to prove,” Haney said.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested and indicted last October, faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty of three arson counts, including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
Tony Kurzweil contributed to this report
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