Man, woman found dead from suspected murder-suicide in north Phoenix home

PHOENIX —  A man and woman were found dead in a north Phoenix home on Sunday evening from a suspected murder-suicide, authorities said.

The Phoenix Police Department identified the deceased couple as 42-year-old Sam Ertebati and 42-year-old Celestina Ertebati.

According to police, officers were called to the area of 29th Avenue and Bell Road for an unknown trouble around 5:14 p.m. While responding, police were informed that a man and woman had been found unresponsive inside a home with a gun nearby.

The Phoenix Fire Department arrived at the residence and pronounced the Ertebatis dead.

Detectives spoke with witnesses and learned that the married couple’s two children had become concerned at how late their parents were sleeping and called a family member, who then came over and found both of them in their bedroom.

Phoenix police said preliminary information indicates Celestina Ertebati shot Sam Ertebati before turning the gun on herself.

The investigation into what led to the north Phoenix shooting is ongoing.

This is an updated version of a story originally published on Jan. 18, 2026. 

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Damon Allred contributed to this report. 

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