Man charged in shooting death of Phoenix short-term rental owner
A man is facing murder charges in the shooting death of a Phoenix short-term rental owner.
Carlos Hernandez, 28, of Phoenix, is charged with second-degree murder in the suspicion of fatally shooting Winston Sheih on the morning of Feb. 11 at Sheih's short-term rental unit, according to charging documents.
An investigation found Hernandez shot Sheigh 13 times following an argument between the men at the residence the victim owned on West Garfield Street near North 15th Avenue, according to court documents. Sheih was found outside the home by police dispatched on a shooting call, and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to court documents.
Surveillance video reviewed by police showed three people fleeing the scene at the time of the shooting before getting into a light-colored Nissan Altima with two other occupants. The vehicle then sped off, according to court documents.
Related:Most short-term rentals in metro Phoenix are still unlicensed
What led up to the shooting?
Shortly before the shooting, surveillance footage shows several people helping Sheih carry cleaning supplies and bedding from his car to the unit.
During an argument with Sheih, Hernandez took a gun from another person's waistband, a witness told police. The witness, who was not present for the shooting but recounted conversation with the suspect, provided police with Hernandez's phone number. The same number was found saved under Hernandez's first name in Sheih's phone with several communications between the suspect and victim shortly before the shooting, court documents note.
Phone records placed Hernandez's device at or near the crime scene when the shooting transpired, according to charging documents.
Another witness told police they had given Hernandez a ride to the scene of the shooting just a few hours before Sheih's killing, which was corroborated by surveillance video, according to court documents.
The Nissan Altima was found and, according to court records, "documents" led to further witnesses. Pne of those witnesses identified Hernandez in a photo lineup after saying they were present when an armed man fled the shooting and jumped into the car, court records show.
Sheih rented out the unit on Airbnb and Vrbo, which are websites listing residences or rooms for short-term lodging. Police were unable to confirm if someone was scheduled to stay at the short-term rental unit, according to court documents.
Hernandez is also charged with possession of a weapon by a prohibited person, charging documents show.
Hernandez was taken into custody on Thursday. As of Saturday, Hernandez was being held in jail custody on a $1 million bond, according to Maricopa County jail and court records. Hernandez has a scheduled hearing for March 10, according to court records.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Man suspected of murdering Phoenix property owner in shooting
