Justin Griffin

Jan 6, 2025 | inmaricopa.com | Justin Griffin

1. When domestic disputes get twistedFebruaryMaricopa police in February arrested Nicolas A. Heredia, 37, after a bizarre and violent episode of sexual violence with his partner. The woman claimed Heredia, heavily intoxicated, trashed their home repeatedly while forcing her to clean it, then escalated his aggression in their bedroom. There, he allegedly tortured her by twisting her nipples forcefully, injuring her.

Jan 6, 2025 | inmaricopa.com | Justin Griffin

1. Meth, Golf Clubs, and a Shih Tzu: A Tale of Divorce Done WrongKurt Kodera, 59, has made his third trip to jail in a month, this time for violating a restraining order by repeatedly calling his estranged wife about their Shih Tzu. Maricopa police found that Kodera, who admitted to the calls in September, had been served the no-contact order in August after a series of chaotic domestic disputes involving accusations of infidelity, knives, a BB gun, and even a golf club.

Jan 6, 2025 | inmaricopa.com | Justin Griffin

1. ATM Heist Hits a Snag, Leaving Thieves Empty-HandedAugustA brazen but bungled ATM theft at Chase Bank in Maricopa early Sunday morning has police and the FBI on the case. Officers found a suspicious, possibly stolen white Ford F-250 abandoned across the street from the bank, its engine running and a chain dangling from the trailer hitch. The suspects, still at large, tried to yank the drive-up ATM from its foundation using the truck. The effort left the machine damaged but intact.

Jan 6, 2025 | inmaricopa.com | Justin Griffin

1. From Hit-and-Run to “It Was Stolen”AprilPaul Butler, 38, tried to dodge responsibility for a hit-and-run by claiming his car was stolen in April, but police weren’t buying it. After a three-month investigation, Maricopa officers pieced together evidence linking Butler to the December crash that wrecked a car and a garage door on North Grantham Road. Fresh mud on Butler’s shoes matched tracks near the abandoned vehicle, which police say he left at the scene before hitching a ride.

Jan 6, 2025 | inmaricopa.com | Justin Griffin

1. A Daring Escape Ends a Harrowing RideMarchA terrifying ordeal in March came to a dramatic end in Maricopa when a woman jumped from a moving car to escape her boyfriend, Christopher Matuz, 32, who had reportedly kidnapped her from her workplace in Tempe. According to police, Matuz assaulted and held the woman captive as they drove to Maricopa. Near North John Wayne Parkway and West Smith-Enke Road, she leapt from the car, sought refuge in a nearby business, and called 911.