Camilla Jessen
After eight years on the run, a man suspected of a brutal stabbing is behind bars.
An eight-year mystery surrounding a fatal stabbing in Phoenix took a turn when police received an unexpected lead.
Authorities say Michael Anthony Arredondo, now 34, fled the country after allegedly stabbing his friend, 25-year-old Evin Paulos, nearly 30 times during an argument in 2017.
Paulos was found dead on June 3 of that year.
Since then, his family had waited for justice while the case remained unsolved. Until a stranger stepped forward online.
From Mexico to San Diego to Phoenix
According to the Phoenix Police Department, Arredondo was arrested in Mexico on Sept. 25 and extradited to San Diego the following day.
He was later brought back to Phoenix on Oct. 15, where he faces first- and second-degree murder charges.
His bond has been set at $1.5 million.
The long-awaited break in the case came from an anonymous message posted on a GoFundMe page created by Paulos’ family to honor his memory.
The commenter, who lives in Mexico, claimed to know Arredondo’s whereabouts.
‘He was just living life for eight years’
Eviein Paulos, the victim’s sister, recounted during a press conference on Oct. 20 that she initially questioned the tipster’s credibility.
“I told him, ‘Please, I don’t know if this is a scam or not. Can you send me some kind of evidence, send me a picture?’” she told People magazine. “And it was him. He was just living life for eight years.”
Detective Dominick Roestenberg of the Phoenix Police said they learned shortly after the killing that Arredondo had first fled to California before disappearing into Mexico.
Following the GoFundMe tip, Phoenix detectives confirmed the lead and worked with U.S. Marshals and Mexican authorities to track down the suspect.
After being located in Mexico, Arredondo was extradited to the U.S., where Phoenix police interviewed him.
Police: ‘We’re still looking for you’
According to a police advisory, he confessed to the killing during that interview.
“After eight long years, a family is a step closer toward justice,” the Phoenix Police Department said in a statement on Facebook.
“Thanks to the relentless work of Phoenix PD detectives, the United States Marshals Service and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, the suspect was finally located and brought back to the U.S. to face charges.”
“I think it sends a strong message to the community that even with the passage of time, we’re still looking for you, we’re still hunting you down,” said Det. Roestenberg.
“Justice is going to take its course.”
This article is made and published by Camilla Jessen, who may have used AI in the preparation
