Roommate found guilty in 2017 murder of Mesa high school teacher

PHOENIX — A jury found an Arizona man guilty this week in the 2017 shooting death of his roommate, who was a Mesa high school teacher.

Caleb Bartels was found guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated assault and burglary on Monday, more than two years after Ryne Zahner was killed.

Bartels was found not guilty of a charge of criminal damage.

Zahner was shot and killed in January 2017 while sitting in the backyard of his Tempe home.

He was 26 years old and a math teacher at Mesa High School.

Witnesses told authorities they saw Bartels flee from the house near Baseline Road and Mill Avenue.

Bartels was arrested several days after the shooting in California.

He is set to be sentenced on June 10.

Yesterday afternoon, a jury found Caleb Bartels guilty of first degree murder, aggravated assault and burglary. The jury found the defendant not guilty on the charge of criminal damage. Sentencing is scheduled for June 10 before Judge Susanna Pineda.

— MC Superior Court (@courtpio) April 30, 2019

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