Chandler man allegedly terrorized wife at gunpoint, forced her to cut hair

PHOENIX – A Chandler man is accused of terrorizing his wife at gunpoint, threatening her life and forcing her to cut her hair during an ordeal that led to lockdowns at two schools Thursday afternoon, according to court documents.

At one point, 54-year-old Robert Hise allegedly beat his wife, told her to write a goodbye note and aimed a handgun at her head in a rental home they own near Kyrene Road and the Loop 202 Santan Freeway.

After evading capture while police scoured the neighborhood near Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School and Kyrene de la Paloma Elementary School, Hise was taken into custody at 7:30 p.m. several miles from where the incident began seven hours earlier.

He was booked on 19 charges, including five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of kidnapping, according to court documents.

Witness and victim accounts were documented by police in the probable cause statement in the booking document.

The statement said police responded to reports of a woman running in the street from an armed man near the rental home at 12:30 p.m.

Officers learned the victim had fled the scene and was waiting for police at a gas station at Rural and Ray roads. Officers described her as initially being in a “hysterical state” when they met her.

She was with her nephew, who lives a few houses away from the rental property. He and two other witnesses saw his uncle chasing the victim while carrying a black handgun.

@ChandlerPolice still working subject with a gun call in neighborhood just east of Pueblo JHS & La Paloma Elem. Focus is on quadrant consisting of 12 oaks to stellar & Folley to Earhart. Remain inside if you're within this area. pic.twitter.com/iL0ouV6vVi

— Chandler Police (@ChandlerPolice) September 26, 2019

The victim’s hair was damaged from clippers Hise allegedly forced her to use on herself. She also had bruises and marks on her face and head consistent with the abuse she described.

According to the police account, Hise allegedly told his wife “today’s the day you die” after forcing her into the rental property while brandishing the gun.

He then allegedly told her to get on her knees facing a wall in the living room. After she refused his demand to tie herself up with zip ties, he forced her into a back room and asked if she wanted to be shot or suffocated.

It was there he gave her clippers and told her to shave her head, which she started to do. He also allegedly told her to write a goodbye letter and said he was going to kill her and then himself.

Police said the victim convinced Hise to leave the house so they could retrieve a note from a different location. She made a run for it when she saw a delivery driver down the street.

That’s when her nephew heard her screams and came outside. Hise allegedly pointed the gun at the nephew, too.

Police set up a perimeter around the neighborhood east of the locked-down schools, where Hise lives, while searching for him.

The Kyrene School District notified parents that Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School and Kyrene de la Paloma Elementary School, which are next to each other, were on precautionary lockdown at 1:55 p.m.

The perimeter is being broken down & @ChandlerPolice is clearing. We were unable to locate the suspect at this time. Standby for additional information regarding the suspect. Thank you for your patience. pic.twitter.com/U7Q9oITOy4

— Chandler Police (@ChandlerPolice) September 26, 2019

Paloma families were told they could pick up their kids at 3:25 p.m., and Pueblo families got clearance at 3:55 p.m. The district said the Pueblo band concert scheduled for 6 p.m. would go on as scheduled.

After failing to find Hise in the neighborhood, police cleared the scene around 4:30 p.m. and released his name and photo to the public.

Police didn’t provide information about how they located Hise, but he was taken into custody without incident three hours later near Chandler Boulevard and Dobson Road.

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