Murder suspect, girlfriend found dead in Arizona desert after vehicle pursuit

PHOENIX — A male wanted for murder and his girlfriend were found dead by Lake Havasu City Police Department SWAT in the desert after a high-speed vehicle pursuit Thursday, authorities said.

On Monday, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department issued a warrant for the arrest of Hunter McGuire, 26, and Samantha Branek, 32, of Kingman after investigating a murder that occurred in Las Vegas, the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office announced in a press release.

Detectives learned McGuire was hiding from law enforcement in Las Vegas as he was wanted for a double murder in Kingman.

Video surveillance and photographs showed evidence of McGuire’s alleged involvement in the murder of Retta Atkins and Darren VanHouten in the northwestern Arizona city.

Deputies with the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office responded on Wednesday to a residence in Golden Valley and found a male, Martin Eric Nelson Jr., 35, deceased with a gunshot wound behind a vehicle, authorities said.

Detectives responded to the scene when a male, Timothy Wayne Burt, 42, approached from a remote desert area and allegedly said he was present during the incident and hid in the surrounding area.

Burt allegedly told detectives he and Nelson Jr. came to the property to pick up their stolen trailer when McGuire opened fire. He admitted to returning fire but said he dumped his weapon.

Burt was later booked into the Mohave County Adult Detention Facility for hindering prosecution, a class 5 felony, after continuously changing his story, authorities said.

A day later, detectives located the vehicle of Branek moving on Alamo Road from Interstate 40 in Yucca. A deputy in a patrol vehicle came up on the silver Hyundai with an Arizona license plate. The car allegedly sped up over 80 mph, and the deputy activated the emergency lights.

The pursuit lasted approximately 35 miles until the car slid off the road and three subjects exited and ran into the surrounding desert, authorities said.

An Arizona Department of Public Safety helicopter arrived at the scene during the ensuing search. McGuire, holding a rifle, and Branek were allegedly hiding under a large tree.

The third subject, Brittany Conkling, 23, hid separately until she surrendered to law enforcement without incident, authroites said.

McGuire and Branek were found after four hours of negotiations and surveillance with a single gunshot wound to the head each. The rifle was on McGuire’s chest, and he was wearing a wig, authorities said.

(1/2)UPDATE-Suspect Located
On October 17, 2022, the LVMPD Homicide began a homicide investigation at a residence in the 6200 block of Craigmont Ave.

The LVMPD Homicide Section has been advised by the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office that suspect, McGuire has been located deceased pic.twitter.com/OQoPauCdcR

— LVMPD (@LVMPD) October 22, 2022

The Mohave County Medical Examiner’s Office will investigate for an official cause of death.

Law enforcement allegedly did not fire a shot.

Conkling allegedly admitted to knowing McGuire was wanted for murder and aiding him. She was booked into the Mohave County Adult Detention Facility for hindering prosecution.

McGuire remains a suspect in additional murder investigations, which remain ongoing.

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