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A suspect has been arrested after a man who hadn't been seen or heard from was found dead inside a home in Phoenix.
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Phoenix man not seen or heard from found dead inside his home; suspect accused of murder
By Stephanie Bennett and FOX 10 Staff
Published November 2, 2022 7:02PM
Updated November 4, 2022 9:26PM
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 10 Phoenix
Horrific crime: Man arrested after dismembered body was found in Phoenix home
The suspect, identified a Thomas Wallace, was arrested in connection with the horrific crime, which was discovered by officers who were doing a welfare check. FOX 10's Stephanie Bennett reports (Viewer Discretion Advised)
PHOENIX - A suspect has been arrested after a man who hadn't been seen or heard from was found dead inside a home in
Phoenix.
The
unidentified man was found on Nov. 1 just before 2:30 p.m. during a welfare check of a home near
Indian School Road and 27th Avenue.
"As officers got to the house, they began to investigate and attempted to contact anyone inside. No response was seen, so officers entered the house to further investigate. While checking the house, officers found an unidentified man deceased. Detectives responded to take over the investigation. The victim
's cause of death will not be determined until the Medical Examiner's Office completes their investigation," Phoenix Police Sgt. Brian Bower said.
On Nov. 4, police said 58-year-old
Thomas Wallace was arrested and booked into jail. He is accused of second-degree
murder.
Victim was found dismembered inside home, court documents reveal
WARNING: GRAPHIC DETAILS BELOW
According to court documents, family members were worried after the victim had not been in touch with them for about a month.
"Family was concerned because [the victim] had diabetes and might have passed away in the residence," court documents read.
When officers arrived at the scene, neighbors told them they hadn't seen the victim in three-to-four weeks.
Officers forced entry into the home and noticed "a strong foul odor" inside. Officers found two black trash bags in a bedroom and after cutting them open, they found the victim's body.
Blood spatter was spotted on the walls, the ceiling, and furniture. Police said body parts were also found in a pile of linen.
During their investigation, police learned a woman had moved into the home with the victim last year.
"She reportedly relapsed on illicit drugs, would pawn [the victim's] possession, and routinely steal his vehicle," court documents read.
After moving out of the home last February, she moved back into the home in March. In April, she had another man move into the home. That man was identified as Thomas Wallace.
Police say a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado was missing from the home, but it was later found by undercover detectives at a motel near Interstate 17 and Indian School Road.
Under surveillance, police saw the woman enter a motel room, which was later found to be rented to Wallace.
On Nov. 3, the woman and Wallace were taken into custody.
Wallace refused to speak to police and requested an attorney.
During an interview with detectives, the woman allegedly told police she was currently not staying at the victim's home because of Wallace's behavior.
She said she tried to contact the victim so that she could go back to the home to retrieve her things, but she could not get in contact with the victim.
The woman said she and a friend broke into the home and found the victim's body.
"[The woman] inferred that [Wallace] killed the victim," court documents read.
Additionally, the woman claimed that her friend had a recording of Wallace talking about the murder. Police spoke to the woman's friend, who said they saw blood inside the home leading to the bedroom where the victim was found dead.
Investigators learned Wallace had pawned items on Oct. 26, including a chainsaw, a hedger, and a bag containing a camera.
After vising the pawn shop, investigators reviewed surveillance video showing Wallace and the woman entering the store with a box containing a chainsaw, hedger, and camera bag.
Wallace sold the items for $50. The woman who was with Wallace was also holding an arrow, which she tried to sell for $200, but the pawn shop manager declined.
Investigators got ahold of the items that were allegedly sold by Wallace. The victim's business card was found inside the camera bag.
Police say "an odor of decomposition" was coming from the items. Crime scene personnel processed the items and found what appeared to be torn flesh, torn ligaments, and biological matter on the chainsaw.
"It’s sick," said Minoca Moreno, who lives in the area where the incident happened. "It’s sick to do something like that to another human being."
Wallace is being held on a $1 million cash bond.
Police have not said if the woman who was with Wallace faces any charges.
