Arizona man to be extradited from Mississippi in connection with Tolleson homicide

PHOENIX — A 27-year-old Arizona man will be extradited from Mississippi after being arrested Friday in connection with a homicide in Tolleson, authorities said.

The Tolleson Police Department identified Randal Basilio Santillan as the man taken into custody.

Once he arrives back in Arizona, Santillan will be booked into jail on charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping.

Why was Santillan arrested in connection with the Tolleson homicide?

According to police, officers responded to an apartment complex near 91st Avenue and Van Buren Street on Jan. 28 for reports of a possible deceased person inside of a unit.

When officers arrived at the complex, they found 18-year-old Yessenia Gabriella Norman dead from apparent stab wounds.

Police said that the apartment Norman was found in was leased to Santillan.

While investigating, detectives learned that Norman met Santillan on a social media dating site.

Norman left her apartment to meet Santillan on Jan. 15 and did not return. Norman’s roommate then contacted the Phoenix Police Department on Jan. 19 to report her missing, according to police.

Through further investigation it was revealed that Santillan had fled from Arizona to Mississippi shortly after Norman was suspected to have been killed, police said.

Detectives then used evidence obtained during the investigation to get an arrest warrant for Santillan.

Santillan was taken into custody with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and multiple Mississippi state and local law enforcement agencies.

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