A 22-year-old former stepson faces five felony charges after police say an argument inside a Sienna Hills home turned deadly.
BUCKEYE, AZ — A 36-year-old father was killed and his 17-year-old daughter was wounded in an early-morning shooting at a Buckeye home Thursday, and a former stepson of the man who died has been jailed on five felony charges, authorities said.
Buckeye police identified the man who died as David Washington and the suspect as 22-year-old Jesus Adrian Lastra-Perez. Police said Lastra-Perez is the son of Washington’s ex-wife and lived in the same Sienna Hills home as the victims. Investigators say the shooting followed a fight involving several members of the household shortly before 1 a.m. Aug. 27.
Police were called to the home near 214th Lane, Sienna Hills Parkway and McDowell Road after reports of gunfire. A Buckeye police sergeant who had just finished her shift was still in uniform and driving a marked patrol vehicle nearby when the call was dispatched. Police said she reached the scene within minutes and detained Lastra-Perez without incident after people outside the home pointed him out as the suspected shooter.
Additional officers found Washington inside the home suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Officers also found Washington’s 17-year-old daughter wounded and provided medical care until paramedics arrived. She was taken to a hospital with injuries police described as not life-threatening. Authorities have not publicly identified the girl because she is a minor.
Court documents released Friday provided a more detailed account of the confrontation. According to police accounts of those records, Lastra-Perez said he was in his bedroom when he heard a fight downstairs and went to investigate. He told investigators that multiple people were involved in a physical confrontation and that he believed one woman was being seriously attacked. His account of why he fired remains part of the criminal investigation and has not been established in court.
Investigators said Lastra-Perez allowed officers to view video from his phone that recorded portions of the confrontation. Police wrote that the recording showed several family members fighting before Lastra-Perez shot the 17-year-old girl in the back. Lastra-Perez told investigators he fired because he believed he was protecting another person whose life was in danger, according to reports describing the court documents.
Police said the recording continued as Lastra-Perez and Washington argued after the teen was shot. According to investigators, Lastra-Perez said Washington threatened him and was involved in another confrontation before Lastra-Perez fired again. Washington was struck and died at the home. The statements in the charging documents represent investigators’ allegations and Lastra-Perez’s account of events; the evidence has not yet been tested at trial.
Lastra-Perez was booked into the Maricopa County jail and faces charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, endangerment, discharging a firearm within city limits and disorderly conduct involving a weapon. Court records list a $1 million cash-only bond. The charges are accusations, and Lastra-Perez is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Buckeye police initially said everyone directly involved in the confrontation lived at the home and described the household as a large blended family. Authorities said there were no outstanding suspects and no continuing threat to the surrounding community after Lastra-Perez was detained. Investigators have continued reviewing evidence and statements to determine the full sequence of events that led to the gunfire.
Court records reported Friday scheduled a conference for Sept. 2 and a preliminary hearing for Sept. 4. The investigation remains active, and authorities have not announced additional arrests. Washington’s daughter was expected to survive her injuries, according to police.
Author note: Last updated August 29, 2026.