Phoenix Police: Man arrested, accused of murder actually not involved in the crime
PHOENIX - Phoenix Police officials say another arrest has been made in connection with the murder of a 19-year-old man during an illegal marijuana transaction, after a person initially arrested turned out to be innocent.
According to Sgt. Maggie Cox., the victim, identified as Matthew Chamberlain, was shot dead in a residential area near 64th Street and Thunderbird Road on December 3.
Police say one of the suspects, identified as 20-year-old Camden Oberndorfer, said he and a man named Tyler O'Donnell conspired to rob Chamberlain of marijuana, and went on to provide other specific details of the crime, including claims that O'Donnell shot Chamberlain.
Officials said Oberndorfer's claim, along with several anonymous tops implicating O'Donnell and social media chatter that began to implicate O'Donnell in the murder, led police to arrest O'Donnell.
After O'Donnell was booked into jail, however, Phoenix Police officials said information was developed which convinced detectives that O'Donnell was not involved in the crime, and that Oberndorfer had made up the story implicating O'Donnell. O'Donnell was then released from jail.
Police officials say they later identified 20-year-old Francisco Gonzales as being the other suspect. Gonzales was arrested, and admitted to being involved in the crime during a police interview.
Both Gonzales and Oberndorfer, according to police, are accused of 1st Degree Murder, Armed Robbery, and probation violation. Oberndorfer will also be accused of other charges in connection of providing a fictitious story and identifying an innocent person as an accomplice.