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Phoenix PD: Man arrested after executing 2017 threat 'to kill a transient'

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A man was arrested 16 months after he followed through with a threat to "kill a transient" in 2017. 

Phoenix police report that on July 3, 2017, they were alerted to the shooting death of a man in a tunnel, near 31st Avenue and Deer Valley Road. 

Police say Joshua Jackson was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators reportedly received information that a man living in the area was angry over the growing homeless population. 

Police say 36-year-old John Adam Bachler made threats on social media, saying he would "kill a transient if he could get away with it." 

Police searched Bachler's home but could not find the murder weapon. 

On November 16, 2018, Bachler was arrested on unrelated federal firearms charges and was interviewed by Phoenix police. 

Bachler allegedly admitted to going into the tunnels to confront homeless people. He said he was startled by someone and fired several shots. 

He reportedly told police that he stood over the victim but did not see him move.

As he left, he disassembled the gun and ditched it in several trash cans. 

Bachler has been charged with first-degree murder and is being held on $250,000 bond. 

He also has a federal hold on him for the federal weapons offenses.