I guess we're never going to hear about the origins of those stray pubic hairs?

That's all she wrote, boys and girls. Michael and Tina Careccia, both had amphetamines and methamphetamine in their systems, according to autopsy and toxicology reports. The toxicology report also showed Tina Careccia had tranquilizers and sleeping pills in her system and both she and her husband had traces of alcohol. I guess we're never going to hear about the origins of those stray pubic hairs, taken into evidence. Was Tina "trading" (sex) for meth? I would have not been surprised. Stay off drugs! 

Valenzuela takes plea deal in double-murder case

With his life on the line, the accused murderer of a Maricopa couple has signed a plea agreement rather than go to trial. Jose Ignacio Valenzuela, now 42, has been behind bars since the summer of 2015, charged with the homicides of husband-and-wife Tina and Michael Careccia. It was being prosecuted as a capital case and would have gone to trial Sept. 10. Had a jury found him guilty, he could have faced the death penalty. InMaricopa

Double murder suspect has lengthy criminal record

The couple's bodies were found buried in a grave Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu said measured six feet deep. The home is owned by Valenzuela's father and is located at 50669 West Papago Road in Maricopa, records show. 12News

Tropical Storm Rosa and the Upside-Down Truck Guy

As Hurricane Rosa downgraded to a Tropical Storm, heavy rain moved into Arizona, prompting Flash Flood Warnings and creating dangerous conditions on roadways. After receiving nearly 3.5" of rain, Hidden Valley was ready to float away. Of course, motorists were doing their thing... getting stuck in flood waters and mud, while failing to exercise common sense.

Vekol Floods Hidden Valley, Golf Course

This week’s damage caused by flash flooding in Hidden Valley, specifically through Vekol Wash, is still being determined. Flowing water blocked some roads and destroyed others. Land, homes and outbuildings were damaged. Ralston Road, Amarillo Valley Road and Louis Johnson Road all had sections washed out. InMaricopa

During my photo safaris, I came across an interesting gentleman, who is a welder, by trade. His Ford F-150 pick up ended up in the Vekol Wash at Ralston Rd. The truck was upside-down and the water was rising. To my astonishment, the "Upside-down Truck Guy" appeared and was checking out the damage to his vehicle. The truck was a total loss. 

Three days later, the "Upside-down Truck Guy" was spotted in the Vekol Wash, where he recovered his missing electric welder,which was carried approximately 150 yards, downstream. Meanwhile. the Pinal County Sheriff's Office was forced to put deputies on the various local washes to babysit, because so many people insisted upon ignoring the barricades and "Road Closed" signs. And you wonder why Arizona had to pass a "Stupid Motorist Law?"

The "stupid-motorist law" is a law in the U.S. state of Arizona that states that any motorist who becomes stranded after driving around barricades to enter a flooded stretch of roadway may be charged for the cost of their rescue. The law corresponds to section 28-910 of the Arizona Revised Statutes. More 

The "stupid motorist law" is not chargeable, a motorist must commit at least one other violation to get the fine. This is why only a handful of cases have actually been prosecuted even though the law went into effect about 22 years ago. 12News

Defense Attorney: Client had no motive to kill the victims. Don't buy it.

One doesn't actually need a motive to commit murder. Remember, we're not watching "Murder She Wrote" or some other fictional TV nonsense. This is the real world. The best thing that can happen to the taxpayers of Pinal County would be Jose Valenzuela falling down some stairs and breaking his neck in jail. A wrongful death settlement would still be cheaper, than this sure to be circus trial, followed by decades of appeals.

Attorneys in Maricopa double-murder case squabble about talking to the press

Gary Husk, the Navajo County prosecutor assigned to litigate Jose Valenzuela, whose accused of murdering a Maricopa couple two years ago, took issue with comments the defendant's lawyer recently made to PinalCentral and the Casa Grande Dispatch. Maricopa Monitor

Locals shocked by gruesome details

One woman, who declined to give her name, said the details of the case have made her afraid to continue living in the neighborhood. Drugs, crime and strange activity, like stolen gas from her vehicles in the previous month, have put her on edge. “Someone needs to do something about this area,” she said. The woman said she plans on packing up and moving soon. CG Dispatch

Sadly, we no longer have speedy trials and fine hangings

Maricopa double-murder case may have conflicts with Volkmer transition

Valenzuela’s case joins a number of cases potentially impacted by Volkmer’s transition to PCAO. He also joins two capital defendants who recently appeared before Judge Joseph Georgini as their attorneys also expressed some level of stagnation due to impending decisions on how to handle conflicts caused by Volkmer’s involvement in the cases or that or his former law partners. Monitor

And with the holidays approaching, we'll have no shortage of murder and mayhem, in and around Maricopa and Pinal County. Although not published, it's believed that the Figueroa murder involved the use of a sword. Third World brutality takes place, when your First World nation is overrun by criminal scumbags and Third World savages.

Murder charged in death of Maricopa woman

At 7:21 p.m., MPD received a call from Figueroa’s son, who said his father had assaulted him and pointed a gun at his mother while they were sitting in the pickup truck. At around 8 p.m., Figueroa’s daughter told MPD her father called her and told her he had killed their mother Olivia and left her in the desert.

According to the report, he was standing outside the residence “with a sword in hand..." Miguel Figueroa’s bond is set at $750,000 on the assault charge. He has arraignment hearings set for Dec. 15 and Dec. 20, 2016. He had previous arrests in Pinal County on charges, including possessing of drug paraphernalia, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated robbery. InMaricopa

And There Was Another Killing, Out Here

And we have another homicide and this one's in Hidden Valley. Arrested and booked into the Pinal County jail were Gustavo Olivo, 17, of Maricopa, and Arthur Magana, 16, of Maricopa. As usual, it's drugs, thugs and people, with Mexican sounding last names that turn out to be the common denominators. Life inside the "Contested Zone" has it's downside. I think the count is four homicides in about two years.

Two teens arrested in fatal Maricopa shooting

According to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the 52000 block of West Cardinal Road around 7:28 p.m. Monday after a couple called police to report someone was shooting at them. There they found a 20-year-old male dead in a 2001 Chevy truck in the caller’s front yard. He appeared to have died as a result of gunshot wounds. CGDispatch

Man shot to death, Maricopa teens indicted

“Once at the residence, the homeowner advised the two subjects ran into the back room of his home,” Sheriff Paul Babeu stated. “Deputies went inside of the residence, and the two suspects were taken into custody. The shoe prints on the suspects matched the pattern of the shoe prints at the scene. One of the suspects had blood on his shoes as well.” InMaricopa

What Was That Commotion, Down There?

While hiking, along some of the drug smuggling trails on the southern end of Hidden Valley (near Interstate 8) and south of Robin Road, I noticed a commotion, below, some three miles to the northeast. Soon, an air ambulance helicopter N973AE appeared and made a dusty landing. It wasn't until Saturday morning, before I learned what happened. 

Glider plane crashes in Maricopa, pilot injured

The single-occupant glider fell at approximately 5 p.m. near Ralston and Wildwood Roads. A Pinal County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman said the pilot "was breathing," when crews arrived on the scene, and "deputies are still on the scene," nearly four hours later. Dispatch

In recent months, there have been several aviation related fatalities and mishaps in and around Hidden Valley. Earlier this year, a P-51 Mustang nose dived into the ground Article, while there have also been one or two skydiving accidents at Skydive Phoenix ABC15. Perhaps, people might want to reconsider their thoughts, before taking to the air, out this way.

As the "Meloneros" Return, the Crime Wave Begins in Thunderbird Farms

It came as no surprise to hear of stabbings and fights, within one mile of my home. Every May, the cantaloupe pickers (aka "Meloners") arrive and bring drunken violence to my neighborhood. This demographic change keeps the Pinal County Sheriff's Office very busy, 

Maricopa man in critical condition after stabbing

The fight took place in the 49000 block of Julie Lane south of Maricopa. Pinal County Sheriff’s Office was called around 9:45 p.m. by a resident who reported a man going door-to-door asking for help.

When a deputy arrived, a resident directed him to a man lying on a porch with four serious stab wounds. As the 39-year-old victim was being treated, he told first responders he was stabbed by Ragon Thomas Sandoval, a homeless man living in the area. More

Michael and Tina Careccia update:

Careccia case remanded back to grand jury

Florence, AZ: A status review in the case was held on Tuesday at the Pinal County Superior Courthouse. Valenzuela’s attorney, Public Defender James Mannato, argued the case – in which the state seeks the death penalty – should be remanded back to the grand jury due to misleading testimony in the initial grand jury proceedings on July 8, 2015.

Mannato said the state almost always argues against such a motion; however, prosecutor Chris Ward of the Pinal County Attorney’s Office told Judge Kevin White the state voluntarily agreed to remand the case back to a new grand jury. Maricopa Monitor

Meanwhile, we continue to experience vandalism, thievery and other assorted Ditch Cricket shenanigans in the Thunderbird Farms area, following the departure of our winter visitors, from up north. While enjoying the outdoors and my photography hobby, we hooked an alleged wire thief. This subject made little or no attempt to conceal his activities. Theft, arson and vandalism have plagued my neighborhood, for a ling time.

Michael and Tina Careccia update:

Michael and Tina Careccia update: Pinal County seeking death penalty in Maricopa murder case

Pinal County's top prosecutor has filed notice that he'll seek the death penalty for the man accused of killing a Maricopa couple last year and burying their bodies. County Attorney Lando Voyles cites multiple aggravating factors in the case against Jose Ignacio Valenzuela. ABC15

Suspect is detained, on I.C.E. hold, without bail. They're just here for a better life and... "Diversity is our strength."

Mesa PD: Bound child found in bag of feces 'shocks the soul'

The 3-year-old child, who had allegedly been offered up for sex, was rescued Monday after authorities found her in a trash bag surrounded by feces in a closet. She was also malnourished. "The suspect wanted to have sex with other people and said he put the child in the closet because she was too loud," officers said. 3TV

Bean bags and rubber bullets vs. AK-47's

Thanks to our border operation, I was spared witnessing the ungrateful masses, at this year's annual F.O.R. Food Bank Thanksgiving meal distribution event, in Maricopa, AZ. I gladly passed the ladle and “Soup Nazi” title to a neighbor. I also loaned him my two burner Coleman stove. Year after year, I've watched people cut the line, complain, argue and act uncivilized, over a $6.00 turkey, a box of stuffing and a can of green beans. A cold morning, sleeping on the ground, in the inhospitable “Contested Zone” was far more to my liking.

Bean bags and rubber bullets vs. AK-47's: No wonder the Border Patrol is having trouble recruiting. Meanwhile, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office said it would become the nation's first police agency at any level to use the Osa handgun, a Russian-designed four-chamber break-action pistol that uses a laser target pointer and shoots rubber bullets. It's a weapon they say will lead to more captures and fewer deaths on the border. Babeu KTAR

Ending on a more positive note, I stumbled upon a car show at the Raceway Bar & Grill, located next door to the Farmers Convenience Store. Enjoy...