MURDER
CASE #: 2023-19
Mercedes Vega
Status:
Open
Date of Offense:
Date of Offense:
Jurisdiction:
Offense Location:
Tempe, AZ
Reward:
up to $2,000
Not from STC, Conditions and restrictions apply
Summary:
Mercedes Vega was last seen on Sunday, April 16th, 2023. Surveillance video shows her walking into her Tempe apartment parking garage just after 9 p.m. as she was meeting friends at Dave & Buster’s. She never arrived. Around 1:30 a.m. the next morning, Maricopa County sheriff’s deputies were called to assist Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers with a car that was on fire near Interstate 10 near Tonopah. After firefighters extinguished the blaze, Vega’s body was found in the backseat.
Vital Statistics
Circumstances of Offense:
Her body was found in the backseat - but it was not her car. Vega’s Dodge Charger was later found abandoned outside a restaurant near 1st Street and Farmer Avenue in Tempe. The Maricopa County medical examiner’s report that was released months later said Vega had been shot in the arm, hit in the head and had bleach in her throat, but she was still alive when the fire started. The report concluded that Vega died from smoke inhalation.
Additional Details:
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office says Mercedes Vega's murder investigation is being handled by multiple agencies, including local and federal agencies. Anyone with information leading to an arrest in Vega’s murder could be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000. To remain anonymous, call Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS (480-948-6377) or 480-TESTIGO (480-837-8446) for Spanish speakers.
Case Last Updated:
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