Police still investigating Mesa shooting that left mother of 7 dead

PHOENIX - As police continue to investigate a shooting that killed a Mesa mother of seven, a number of questions remain unanswered.

The backstory:

The shooting happened at around 2:00 a.m. on Feb. 28, in the area of Ray Road and Inspirian Parkway.

Mesa Police have released very few details regarding the circumstances of the shooting, stating that "officers responded to a residence near the intersection of E. Kinetic Dr. and S. Reliance Way for a welfare check call for service. Once on scene, officers located an adult with a gunshot wound. The adult was later pronounced deceased on scene."

The victim has been identified as 32-year-old Maria Ernestina Lewis. According to her husband, there was some sort of altercation that led to the neighbor shooting and killing his wife. 

We were told Lewis somehow ended up at her neighbor’s front door, where she was shot and killed. The husband said investigators told him the man claimed the shooting was an accident.

What We Found:

For their part, Mesa Police officials say they are still investigating Lewis' death. However, they won't say who the suspect is, or if charges will be filed.

At an unrelated news conference on the morning of March 2, we took the opportunity to ask Mesa Police Chief Dan Butler who the shooter is, and if the person was arrested, but Mesa Police will only say they are investigating.

Meanwhile, we have confirmed the man who lives at the home where the shooting took place is DuLance Morin.

We reached out to the Arizona Attorney General's Office, where a spokesperson with the office replied, "I can confirm DuLance Morin has been employed by the Attorney General's Office since February 2016. He was placed on administrative leave this weekend pending the Mesa Police Department's investigation."

Local perspective:

Friends of the 32-year-old victim are in shock.

"Just yesterday, I was scrolling through YouTube and seeing Mea’s face on the news, and I honestly just couldn’t believe it," said Brian Staple. "It just breaks my heart. For someone that has kids of their own and that’s a dad, I just can’t imagine what those kids and what AJ’s going through right now. It just makes me sad, because ever since I met them and lived with them, they made me feel like one of their own, and like I was family."

Lewis leaves behind seven children and her husband, who was her high school sweetheart. The husband said his family is shattered, but he says he’s hired an attorney.

Lewis' family wants to seek a murder charge against the shooter, who had the blood-stained tiles removed from the home’s entryway within hours of the fatal shooting.

"It makes me even more sad that compared to all the other doors on the block, he has a window compared to this door," Staple said. "Like he could have at least seen who was at the window before he just briefly decided to do that. She’s leaving behind seven kids! I just can’t imagine what they’re going through as a family. That’s why I’m here. I just want to show my face and let them know I’m here for them."

The family has set up a GoFundMe account to help with funeral arrangements and lawyer fees.