PHOENIX, AZ – An 18-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly shooting and killing a Phoenix homeowner during a burglary and then continuing to live in the victim’s residence, police said Tuesday.
Xzavion Johnson was taken into custody after neighbors alerted authorities that they had not seen 57-year-old David Jimenez in some time, despite noticing ongoing activity at his home.
When officers responded to conduct a welfare check, they discovered Jimenez’s body in his backyard. During the police response, Johnson emerged from inside the home and was detained.
According to Phoenix police, Johnson confessed to detectives that he shot and killed Jimenez while burglarizing the residence. Rather than flee the scene, Johnson simply stayed at the property.
“Johnson told detectives he shot and killed Jimenez while burglarizing the home and just stayed there,” police stated.
It remains unclear how long Johnson had been living in the home before neighbors became suspicious. The investigation is ongoing to determine the exact timeline of events and whether anyone else was involved.
Johnson has been charged with murder and burglary in connection with Jimenez’s death. He is being held pending his initial court appearance.
Neighbors expressed shock at the discovery, telling local media they had no idea their neighbor had been killed. The ongoing activity at the residence had not raised immediate red flags until Jimenez’s prolonged absence became apparent.
Police are asking anyone with additional information about the case to contact the Phoenix Police Department.
