Homeless man accused of spray-painting Phoenix police K-9
Justin Blevins is accused of animal cruelty after allegedly spray-painting a police K-9. (Maricopa County, file photo)
PHOENIX - A homeless man is facing multiple charges after an unusual game of hide-and-seek with Phoenix police inside a Sunnyslope church ended with a K-9 officer being spray-painted.
Justin Louis Blevins, 23, was arrested on Tuesday afternoon at the La Luz del Mundo church in northeast Phoenix. Court documents describe a dramatic scene where Blevins allegedly disabled the security cameras, eluded officers through a darkened building and fought off a police dog before his real identity was uncovered via fingerprints.
What we know:
According to police documents, the incident began when Blevins broke into the church near 11th Street and Hatcher Road. Once inside, police say he systematically unplugged the building's interior security cameras to prevent officers from tracking his movements.
When officers arrived at the scene, Blevins briefly opened a door and looked directly at them before retreating back into the building. He allegedly ignored several commands broadcast over a police loudspeaker to surrender, choosing instead to hide in a pitch-black bathroom behind a stack of chairs.
Officers sent a K-9 unit inside to track him down. When the dog located Blevins in the bathroom, police say he resisted arrest by unleashing an aerosol can of paint directly at the animal. Responding officers reported hearing and smelling the spray, and later found paint coating the K-9's fur.
Justin Blevins appears in Maricopa County Superior Court on July 8, 2026. (Maricopa County)
Blevins sustained a canine bite during the struggle and was taken into custody.
Dig deeper:
Following the arrest, a church representative walked through the building with officers and discovered that wood paneling had been ripped off the walls and scattered across the bathroom where Blevins had been hiding, causing an estimated $500 in damage.
After he was caught, police say Blevins tried to obscure his identity by repeatedly giving officers the fake name "Nikolai Zepulski." Digital fingerprinting ultimately revealed his true name.
Charges:
Blevins was booked into a Maricopa County jail on counts of burglary, resisting arrest, animal cruelty and refusing to provide his true name.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from the Phoenix Police Department and Maricopa County Superior Court.