Phoenix man sentenced to 65 years for violent robbery spree that left two shot

A man has been sentenced to 65 years in prison for a string of violent armed robberies in Phoenix in which two people were shot, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced.

Both victims survived.

On April 12, 2021, Trey Waters, 34, forced his way into a hotel room near 51st Avenue and Interstate 10, where he shot a man in the neck, bound a woman’s hands with duct tape and fled with their money.

About two weeks later, Waters robbed and beat a food vendor with a gun near 24th Street and South Mountain Avenue, threatening two women during the incident.

On May 9, 2021, Waters shot a clerk while attempting to rob a convenience store at 40th Street and Southern Avenue. He fired at her twice as she backed away and shot her a third time as she lay on the floor.

The clerk, the second person Waters shot, suffered multiple serious injuries.

Phoenix police arrested Waters the next day near Central and Sunland avenues. He was armed at the time but was taken into custody without incident, just as he was about to enter another convenience store with the same gun used in the previous shootings. A search of his car turned up a passport stolen from one of the victims.

A jury found Waters guilty on all counts, including armed robbery, kidnapping, aggravated assault and attempted second-degree murder.

“A guilty verdict on every count, followed by a sentence of this length, sends an unmistakable message that anyone who terrorizes innocent people with a gun will be held accountable,” Mitchell said.

Related

Arizona high school closed for day after student found dead on campusHickman’s Egg Ranch giving 2.1M eggs to Arizona food banks as part of price-fixing settlementArizona passenger subdued with duct tape after outburst during flightOnly 1 Arizona candidate is on GOP midterm convention speaker listWest Valley sexual assault suspect returned to Arizona after arrest in UKYour guide to Arizona’s 2026 general election debates: Candidates face off in top races