By Matthew Holloway |
Mesa police are investigating the fatal shooting of a Mesa mother of seven after identifying an investigator with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office as being involved in the incident.
Authorities say 32-year-old Maria Ernestina Lewis was found with a gunshot wound early on Feb. 28 near Ray Road and Inspirian Parkway in Mesa after officers responded to a welfare check call. Lewis was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Mesa Police Department later identified 47-year-old DuLance Morin, an investigator with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, as being “involved in the shooting,” though authorities have not publicly detailed the exact circumstances of the incident. Police have not confirmed who fired the weapon, as reported by FOX10 Phoenix.
According to investigators, officers were dispatched to the neighborhood after receiving a welfare check call around 2 a.m. When officers arrived, they located Lewis with a gunshot wound outside a residence. She was found on the doorstep of a neighbor’s home, according to local reporting.
“I can confirm DuLance Morin has been employed by the Attorney General’s Office since February 2016,” a spokesman from the Arizona Attorney General’s Office said in a statement on Monday. “He was placed on administrative leave this weekend pending the Mesa Police Department’s investigation.”
Authorities have not announced any arrests or criminal charges in connection with the case, and the investigation remains active. “The Mesa Police Department emphasizes that this remains an active and ongoing investigation,” the department said in a statement to 12 News.
The department added, “Detectives are working to obtain additional evidence through search warrants, reviewing potential surveillance footage from the surrounding area, and awaiting the results of forensic testing and analysis.”
Investigators have not publicly described any relationship between Lewis and Morin or how the two individuals came into contact before the incident. Mesa Police have also not released information about whether a weapon was recovered at the scene or whether any other individuals were involved.
Officials say additional information will be released once the investigation progresses. However, authorities have not announced whether an outside agency will participate in the investigation as of this report.
As of the latest update from Mesa police, the case remains under active investigation, and authorities have not provided a timeline for additional information.
Lewis is survived by her husband and seven children. According to FOX10 Phoenix, Lewis’ family has called for prosecutors to pursue a murder charge. The outlet also reported that relatives said blood-stained tiles were removed from the scene hours after the shooting.
Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact the Mesa Police Department.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
