'Hard to understand': Neighbors react to family murder-suicide in Phoenix
Phoenix police responded to an 11 a.m. shooting call on Dec. 18 at a business near 27th Avenue and Deer Valley Road, where they found Sage Fitz, 49, and Carmen Buscemi, 62, with gunshot wounds.
Buscemi died at the scene. Sage Fitz was taken to a hospital, where she later died, police said.
A vehicle seen by witnesses leaving the property after the shooting led investigators to a home at 23rd Avenue and Utopia Road, where police say they found Sage Fitz's husband, Bryan Fitz, 53, their 12-year-old son, Baynen Fitz, and the family dog killed by gunfire.
Bryan Fitz shot his wife and her boss Buscemi at their business before returning home and shooting his son and dog, and then ending his own life, police said.
Days after the incident, neighbors of the Fitz family reflected on "a complete tragedy."
For Rojelio Cadenas, a longtime neighbor of the Fitz family, the deaths of Bryan Fitz and his family are "very surprising."
"We're just very, very shocked," Cadenas said. "We just can't believe that this has happened."
According to Cadenas, there were never any altercations he had with Bryan Fitz, having engaged in small conversations with him whenever they saw each other.
"I would say our relationship was great. We would say 'hi' and 'hello' in the mornings," said Cadenas, who added that they attended the same church.
Cadenas, who shared a fence with the Fitz family, said he would occasionally see the family enjoying their backyard, and would sometimes exchange pleasantries with Bryan Fitz during those times.
"I have their image (of the family) stuck in my head," Cadenas said. "It's very hard to understand."
While not present when the shootings occurred, Cadenas, who was at work at the time, said he was asked to come home by detectives. Only then did he learn what had happened.
"My deepest condolences go to the families (of the victims)," Cadenas said.
With regular community meetings that take place in the neighborhood, Cadenas stated his belief in the closeness of his neighbors during this time, saying, "The community here in Deer Valley is very strong."
According to employees at neighboring businesses near the location of the first shooting, where Buscemi and Sage Fitz worked, including a local auto repair shop known as Action Auto Repair, Buscemi had previously run an automotive repair shop of his own known as Carmen's Innovations before selling it.
John Costa, a service writer for Action Auto Repair, said he knew Buscemi, describing him as a kind and generous person with "a good heart."
"He was always willing to help anybody," Costa said. "He always wanted to give a helping hand in some way, just to help someone out."
According to Costa, Buscemi had been a customer of his for years, and the two would frequently engage in conversation with each other years prior to the incident.
"I never saw him in a bad mood. He was always laughing and smiling," Costa said.
While not present during the Oct. 18 shooting, Costa learned what happened the next day. According to Costa, the lot of Buscemi's business, located across the street from Action Auto Repair, had appeared inactive for months leading up to the incident, although Buscemi was known to have conducted business at the location of the shooting for over 20 years, Costa said.
Although they hadn't kept in touch in the months leading to the incident, Costa expressed his shock and grief in response to Buscemi's death, saying he "still couldn't believe it."
"It definitely saddens me losing him," Costa said. "I wish I would've went by and said 'hi' one day just to see how things were going, but I didn't get a chance to do that."
More about it: Phoenix police identify suspect and victims killed in murder-suicide case
Detectives were still investigating the motive behind the shootings, although Phoenix police cited marital problems between Bryan and Sage Fitz as a possible factor, describing the two as "estranged."
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Neighbors react to murder-suicide in Phoenix
