A Valley man is facing a second-degree murder charge after shooting his girlfriend in the face at his Mesa apartment on Sunday morning.
According to police, around 8:30 a.m. officers responded to a report of an accidental shooting near Country Club Drive and Broadway Road.
Responding officers found the woman, 22-year-old Alina Duwyenie, with a gunshot wound to the eye. She was transported to the hospital and was pronounced dead, police said.
During interviews with police, 22-year-old Martin Larney confirmed that his girlfriend had spent the previous night at the apartment, which he shares with his brother.
Larney told police that as the victim was sitting on the floor changing her clothes, he tossed his handgun onto a couch in the room, causing it to go off and strike her.
Police said Larney changed his story twice, initially reporting that he was trying to clear a round when the gun discharged, then finally admitting he was waving the gun at the victim because he "was upset at what she was wearing."
According to police documents, Larney also admitted that he thought about shooting the victim as the gun went off, and had "thought about shooting the victim in the past."
Larney has been booked on one count of second-degree murder.
