Constable Deborah Martinez-Garibay

Officer: Pima County Constable Deborah Martinez-Garibay

Date: 8/25/2022          Location: Tucson, AZ            FACTORS (1,2,4,5,7,15,17)

Perpetrator(s) Involved: Gavin Lee Stansell

Criminal Activity History/Involved: Yes, Stansell had previously threatened his neighbors with a gun, but he was not arrested for it. / Stansell was being evicted because he was considered by his neighbors and property manager to be “dangerous.”

Mental Illness: Unknown but he did commit suicide which is an indicator.

Substance Abuse History/Involved: Unknown. / None stated.

Race/Sex/Age: Unknown/Male/24

What prompted the initial contact with the killer? At around 11 a.m. on August 25, 2022, accompanied by property manager Angela Fox-Heath, Pima County constable Deborah Martinez-Garibay went to an apartment complex in Tucson to serve an eviction notice upon Gavin Stansell.

Actions taken by subject toward police: Stansell ambushed the constable, opening fire upon her and the property manager. As both women lay dying, Stansell went into a neighbor’s apartment and murdered Elijah Miranda before returning to his own apartment and killing himself.

Reactions by the police: Police responded to the scene and found Fox-Heath dead in a nearby courtyard but could not find Constable Martinez-Garibay. SWAT officers made entry into Stansell’s apartment and found the Constable there where she was declared dead. A further search found neighbor Miranda was shot to death and Stansell took his own life as well.

How murdered? Constable Martinez-Garibay was ambushed and shot dead while serving an eviction notice.

What could have been done differently for the officer to still be alive? Given Stansell’s documented threats of violence with a firearm, his weapons should have been seized while an investigation was conducted. Since Stansell was known to threaten violence with a gun he should have been confronted by surprise outside of his apartment or multiple officers should have assisted the constable.

Would the officer have been justified to use deadly force before being murdered? Constable Martinez-Garibay was ambushed and never had a chance to use deadly force.

Outcome for the cop-killer: Stansell committed suicide in his apartment before police arrived.

Miscellaneous: Despite numerous complaints from Stansell’s neighbors about him threatening them with a gun, the police never arrested him, nor did they seize any of his weapons.