New details released in Surprise double-murder
SURPRISE, Ariz. (KSAZ) - New details have been released in connection to the double-murder of two women in Surprise earlier this month.
According to the Surprise Police Department, the two victims, 70-year-old Barbara Leslie and 75-year-old Ruth Schwed, were both inside the home near 15500 West Agua Linda Lane, when 24-year-old Andrew Lauro and 23-year-old Montez Wright III, entered the home after noticing the garage door had been left open.
As soon as the suspects entered the home, they saw one of the victims sitting in a chair ready a newspaper and the other victim walking out of the living room. According to Lauro's statement to police, Montez Wright then pulled out a gun and shot both victims.
Lauro added that both he and Wright were wearing gloves during the shootings.
Lauro says he immediately left the home on foot, but he was later picked up by Wright, who was driving the victim's vehicle. Lauro also says he left the area in a vehicle driven by a woman, who was with both suspects before the shootings.
Police say the woman is not in custody, but an investigation into her involvement is ongoing.
Credit card records for Ruth Schwed showed that approximately $23,000 had been charged to her debit card following the shootings.
A cell phone that did not belong to either victim was found at the scene and phone records show that one of the suspects had been in the area when the double-homicide occurred. Through these phone records, investigators contacted a man who said that Lauro told him he was involved in a robbery where two women had been shot.
Lauro has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and Wright is being held in a Michigan jail, pending extradition back to Arizona. He is also facing two counts of first-degree murder.