Man arrested after being accused of killing girlfriend in Phoenix apartment

PHOENIX — A 27-year-old man suspected of killing his girlfriend at a Phoenix apartment last week was arrested, authorities said Monday.

Brayan Ortez Garcia was booked into the Maricopa County Jail after being accused of killing 33-year-old Airam Melo on Wednesday at an apartment located near McDowell Road and 43rd Avenue, according to court documents.

Officers responded to a call of a stabbing at the apartment around 11 p.m. and found Melo lying on the floor with numerous wounds, police said.

The person who called police said Garcia came over to his house with apparent blood on his hands and holding a knife, according to the probable cause statement.

Garcia allegedly admitted to the witness that he had killed Melo, who was Garcia’s on-and-off girlfriend, police said.

He then allegedly left the witness’ house in a car that matched the description of Melo’s vehicle, which has yet to be located.

A search warrant of the apartment resulted in police finding a Honduran passport for Garcia and paperwork for an order of protection listing Melo as the plaintiff and Garcia as the defendant, according to police.

On Thursday, Phoenix Police received a call from a hospital in the area saying a man had arrived with lacerations on the palm of his hand, with the patient telling the nurse he had a verbal argument with his wife, police said.

Officers responded to the hospital and discovered the patient was Garcia.

Surveillance video at the hospital showed Garcia placing shoes in a trash can outside, according to police.

Officers recovered the shoes with apparent blood on them, which were similar to the shoes described by the witness that Garcia was wearing when he came over, police said.

Garcia was interviewed by police after being released from the hospital, allegedly telling investigators he was at the apartment and thought he heard his family being hurt outside the apartment.

The man then allegedly got a knife from the kitchen and Melo tried to take it from him, according to police. He said Melo’s finger was cut during the struggle and that she took the knife and cut him.

He told investigators he then went outside to check and did not hear anything, proceeding to leave in her car, police said.

Garcia allegedly admitted to investigators that he did tell the witness that he killed Melo, but only because Melo told him to.

The man told investigators he could not remember where the car or the knife ended up, according to police, and said that perhaps he killed Melo but did not want to say.

Garcia is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Jan. 4. The investigation is ongoing.

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