Chandler murder suspect shot victim in back after hours-long dispute, prosecutor says
Left: Vincent Verbick appears in court after a fatal shooting at a Chandler apartment on July 31. Right: Chandler police investigate the scene near Germann and McQueen roads. Inset: Verbick's mugshot. (FOX 10, Maricopa County)
CHANDLER, Ariz. - A 59-year-old man is facing second-degree murder charges and a $1 million bond following a fatal shooting at a Chandler apartment complex early Friday morning.
What we know:
Vincent Michael Verbick was arrested after Chandler police officers responded to a call just after 4:30 a.m. on July 31 near Germann and McQueen roads, where they found a man who had been shot. Firefighters pronounced the victim dead at the scene.
Suspect accused of shooting victim in back after argument at Chandler apartment
Prosecutors say an hours-long dispute inside a Chandler apartment ended in murder after a 59-year-old man grabbed a gun instead of walking away.
During Verbick’s initial court appearance, state prosecutors detailed a protracted overnight dispute between the two men that turned deadly.
"Ultimately, there was a physical altercation between the suspect and the victim. That continued on and off for the duration of the evening going into early morning today," the state prosecutor said. "The suspect did ask the victim to leave the residence [but] the victim repeatedly came back into the suspect's bedroom."
1 arrested in deadly Chandler apartment shooting
One person has been arrested after police say a man was shot and killed on July 31 at an apartment complex near Germann and McQueen roads. FOX 10's Annalisa Pardo has the latest.
Dig deeper:
According to the state prosecutor, the dispute reached a breaking point when the victim walked into the suspect's bathroom.
"That's when the suspect allegedly shot the victim in the back," the prosecutor said, emphasizing that Verbick had options to escape the argument. "The suspect had multiple avenues to exit the residence... [but] he retrieved a firearm and allegedly shot the victim in the back."
What's next:
Verbick was booked into custody on charges of second-degree murder and aggravated assault. A judge set his bond at $1 million. He remained in jail on Saturday ahead of his next court date, which is scheduled for Aug. 6.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not yet released the identity of the victim as the investigation remains ongoing.
Map of where the shooting happened:
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from the Chandler Police Department and Maricopa County Superior Court.