A Mesa man who contacted emergency services to report that his girlfriend was unresponsive was arrested after investigators developed probable cause linking him to her death, authorities said. The case unfolded earlier in the week when the man called for help, saying he had found the woman unresponsive in the apartment they shared. Emergency crews responded, and soon after their arrival the woman was pronounced dead.
Mugshot of the man arrested in Mesa shown beside a Mesa Police Department emblem; police say scene evidence and medical examiner findings provided probable cause for the arrest.
Mesa police investigators reported that the initial 911 call came from a man who told a dispatcher he had returned to the apartment near Main and Hibbert streets and found his girlfriend unresponsive. The caller told the dispatcher he was attempting cardiopulmonary resuscitation as he awaited the arrival of first responders. Officers and medics arrived at the scene at approximately 11:15 a.m., and the woman was pronounced dead by 11:23 a.m., according to the account provided by police.
Upon entering the residence, responding officers observed what they described as significant injuries to the woman. Because of those observations, the investigation was escalated to the department's homicide unit. Detectives took over the scene to conduct a more detailed examination and to interview people connected to the incident as part of their fact-finding efforts.
Investigators said evidence collected at the apartment, observations and findings reported by the medical examiner, and information gathered through interviews during the probe together established probable cause to arrest the man who had called 911. The police statement did not detail the specific nature of the injuries or the content of the interviews, but it did state that the combination of scene evidence, medical examiner notes and investigative interviews met the threshold for taking the suspect into custody.
Authorities identified the man taken into custody as 37-year-old Kyle Collins. He was booked into the county jail on charges that include first-degree murder and kidnapping. The police booking information confirms those charges were filed, and Collins remains in custody pending further legal proceedings. No additional details about bond or scheduled court appearances were released in the initial announcement.
The woman who was found dead has been identified as 36-year-old Cierra Tellez. Police located the body inside the apartment and pronounced her deceased at the scene shortly after first responders arrived. The location given by investigators places the residence in the vicinity of the intersection of Main and Hibbert streets in Mesa.
Mesa police emphasized that their probable-cause determination was based on a combination of physical evidence recovered at the scene, the medical examiner’s examination and subsequent findings, and information obtained through interviews with individuals involved in or knowledgeable about the incident. Following the arrest, homicide detectives continued to work the case as Collins awaited formal charges and processing through the criminal justice system.
The arrest and charging of Collins mark the next phase in the investigation into Tellez’s death. Police have not released further specifics regarding the investigation, citing the ongoing nature of the case. As of the initial report, Collins remains in custody on the first-degree murder and kidnapping counts, and authorities have indicated that homicide detectives will continue their inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the woman's death.
Arizona's Family reported that officers responded just after 11 p.m. Tuesday to an apartment complex near 1st and Hibbert streets in downtown Mesa.