Facing series of charges, suspected Phoenix Serial Street Shooter says ‘I’m innocent’
May 9, 2017, 11:03 AM | Updated: 1:43 pm
PHOENIX — The suspect in the Phoenix Serial Street Shooter case had two words for the court when he was read a long list of charges he faces Monday.
“I’m innocent,” Aaron Juan Saucedo told the judge during his initial court appearance.
When the judge assured him he was presumed innocent, Saucedo replied, “Yeah.”
Saucedo did not speak again during the three-minute appearance, save to identify himself and confirm his date of birth.
He was denied bond.
Police announced earlier Monday that Saucedo is the suspect in at least 12 shootings across the Valley that left nine people dead and wounded two others.
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton said it took “tens of thousands of hours to get this right” at a press conference announcing Saucedo’s arrest.
He faces 27 felony charges — first-degree murder, discharging a firearm at a residence, drive-by shooting, first-degree attempted murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault, discharging a firearm at a nonresidence, endangerment and criminal damage.
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery said Tuesday more charges were possible in the case.
Saucedo was assigned a public defender. The judge said it will likely be the same one he was assigned last month when he was charged with first-degree murder in an Aug. 16, 2015 killing that was later linked to the Serial Street Shooter case.
Saucedo was declared a person of interest in the case last month.
A reward as high as $75,000 was offered for information in the case. Law enforcement received more than 3,300 tips.
