PHOENIX — Authorities have made an arrest in the death of a man found December 31.
Phoenix officers responded around 6:30 in the morning on New Year's Eve to an area near 40th Street and Broadway Road for a report of unknown trouble. They arrived to find a man with "obvious trauma." Firefighters arrived and pronounced the victim, later identified as 50-year-old Somsack Vongprachanh, dead at the scene.
Detectives worked on the case for more than a month, and police said 27-year-old Trevon Perry-Vandaveer was arrested February 11 for Vongprachanh's death.
Police say tickets found in Vongprachanh's pockets placed him at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale only a few hours before his body was found. Surveillance video from the casino reviewed by detectives showed Vongprachanh talking with an unidentified woman before leaving the casino with her around 5 a.m.
Investigators learned that Vongprachanh agreed to pay the woman $250 to have sex with him. The pair went to a hotel near 48th Street and Broadway Road, and police say the woman called Perry-Vandaveer when she learned Vongprachanh would not pay her.
Police say Perry-Vandaveer told detectives he went to the hotel and drove off with Vongprachanh to try and get him to pay. While Vongprachanh was driving, Perry-Vandaveer pulled a gun and demanded money, according to court paperwork.
The two fought over the gun, which fired during the struggle, hitting Vongprachanh.
Perry-Vandaveer has been charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery. A judge set his bond at $500,000 cash only and he remained in custody as of Tuesday afternoon.
