Mesa mom of seven shot dead on neighbor's porch
A Quiet Mesa Neighborhood, a Late-Night Walk, and Unanswered Questions
The southeast Mesa subdivision near Ray and Ellsworth roads is the kind of place you picture when you think of a calm, family-friendly East Valley community — bougainvillea-lined streets, kids on bikes, neighbors walking their dogs. That image shattered in the early morning hours of February 28, when Maria "Mia" Ernestina Lewis, a 32-year-old mother of seven, never came home from a walk.
Lewis was a self-described night owl who regularly strolled the neighborhood in the predawn hours. Around 2:30 a.m., she left her home while her husband, Albert Mendivil, stayed behind with their seven children — six daughters and one son, ranging from 2 to 12 years old. About 30 minutes later, Mendivil noticed police lights flashing through the window.
Mesa Police responded to a 911 welfare check call at a home in the 9000 block of East Kinetic Drive and found Lewis near the front door, suffering from a single gunshot wound. Life-saving efforts failed. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner has since listed her manner of death as homicide.
The homeowner, identified as 47-year-old Dulance Morin, has been confirmed as the person involved in the shooting. Morin is an investigator with the Arizona Attorney General's Office and was placed on administrative leave shortly after the incident. No arrest has been announced. When asked directly at a news conference, Mesa Police Chief Dan Butler declined to elaborate on the status of any potential charges.
Adding intrigue to the case: when reporters returned to the home days later, the doorbell camera was gone and porch steps had been removed.
Mendivil, who has known Lewis since childhood, described her as an amazing woman with a bright smile and a beautiful life. A GoFundMe has been established to support the family's seven children.
The community is watching — and waiting — for answers.
Sources: 12 News | Fox 10 Phoenix | AZ Family | ABC15 | Yahoo News