Father, son dead in suspected murder-suicide in northeast Phoenix

Elena Santa Cruz, Arizona Republic
·2 min read
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A father and son are dead after a shooting took place at a home in northeast Phoenix over the weekend, Phoenix Police said.

Between late Saturday and early Sunday, police said they responded to a shooting call at a home near 40th Street and Sweetwater Avenue. The caller told the dispatcher that her husband, later identified as Preston Windus, 54, was shot inside her home. She said she believed he was shot by her son, according to police.

When officers arrived, they found a man, later identified as 19-year-old Daniel Windus, dead inside a vehicle that was parked in the driveway. The woman who called 911 came outside and confirmed to police that her husband was shot and unresponsive inside the home, police said.

Officers from the Tactical Support Bureau responded and confirmed that Windus was dead, police said.

After homicide detectives took over the investigation, preliminary information suggested that Preston Windus was shot and killed by his son, Daniel Windus, police said. Daniel Windus then walked outside and into the vehicle where he turned the gun onto himself, according to police.

Police said the investigation remained active as detectives continued to go through evidence and wait for results from the medical examiner's office.

Suicide, crisis hotlines for Arizonans

Services for Arizonans in crisis include:

  • Dial 2-1-1 at any time to reach the free 2-1-1 Arizona information and referral service and connect with free resources available locally throughout the state.

  • Solari Crisis & Human Services offers a free, statewide crisis line 24/7/365 – dial 844-534-HOPE (4673). Help is also available 24/7/365 via text by texting “hope” to 4HOPE (4673).

  • Dial 988 to reach the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Help is available in English and Spanish. It's free and confidential for those in distress who need prevention or crisis resources for themselves or loved ones.

  • La Frontera Empact Suicide Prevention Center's crisis line serves Maricopa and Pinal counties 24/7 at 480-784-1500.

  • Teen Lifeline’s 24/7 crisis line serves teens at 602-248-8336 for Maricopa County and 1-800-248-8336 statewide.

  • The Trevor Project Lifeline serves LGBTQ youth at 866-488-7386 or by texting START to 678-678.

Domestic violence resources for Arizonans

Resources for Arizonans experiencing domestic violence include:

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Father, son dead after shooting in northeast Phoenix