A 20-year-old Tucson man was shot and killed last week during a struggle with a man he and a woman tried to rob during a drug deal, court records say.
The woman, Makenzy Jarman, 21, was arrested on suspicion of first degree murder after officers found Jesus Romero, 20, mortally wounded April 7, inside of car in a parking lot of a mortuary near North Stone Avenue and West University Boulevard.
Employees found the car after it struck a curb and blew two tires pulling into the parking lot.
Jarman, the passenger, was heard by the employees arguing with someone on a cellphone, accusing the person of shooting Romero, an interim complaint filed in the Pima County Justice Court said.
Police arrived to find Romero with a gunshot wound to his groin and two loaded handguns in the car, the complaint said.
Romero died at the scene.
Jarman told detectives that she and Romero had gone to a nearby park to meet a man who was to sell them about $1,000 worth of drugs. They had no money so the pair planned to rob the alleged dealer, the complaint said.
Jarman said that prior to the robbery attempt, Romero drove to a manβs house to borrow a handgun so she too could be armed, the complaint said.
The plan was for Jarman to sit directly behind the man in the car, point a gun to his head and steal the drugs, the complaint said.
While they were in the car, Jarman told police Romero pointed a gun at the man. The man then tried to escape as Romero and Jarman physically restrained him, the complaint said.
The man was able to break free, get of the car and run away.
As Romero got of the car to chase him, a shot was fired striking Romero.
The alleged dealer later called Jarman to taunt her about the shooting, which was the call the employees overheard, the complaint said.
Jarman told authorities she believes that the man drew a gun and shot Romero, although she did not see the man shooting at him.
Physical evidence initially indicates Romero was either shot by someone or he suffered a self-inflicted wound during the struggle, the complaint said.
The man who fled during the robbery attempt has not yet been found, police say.
