MESA ARIZONA, Authorities are investigating the death of a 32-year-old mother of seven whose body was discovered on a neighbor’s doorstep after a reported shooting.
Police identified the victim as Maria Lewis. Officers responding to a welfare check call early on February 28 near East Kinetic Drive and South Reliance Way found Lewis suffering from a gunshot wound. She was later pronounced dead.
The Mesa Police Department confirmed that 47-year-old DuLance Morin, an agent with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, was involved in the incident. Officials have not released further details about how the shooting occurred. Morin has not been arrested, and the case remains under investigation.
Lewis’ husband, Albert Mendivil, said he was inside the home with the couple’s seven children when he noticed flashing police lights outside. When he went to see what was happening, officers prevented him from approaching the scene and informed him that his wife had been shot.
According to Mendivil, investigators told him there had been a confrontation involving Lewis at the neighbor’s residence before the shooting. The circumstances leading to the incident have not yet been publicly confirmed.
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office said Morin has been placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues. The agency also stated it is cooperating fully with Mesa police and will conduct an internal review of the incident.
Family members of Lewis have called for charges to be filed. A fundraising campaign created by relatives describes Lewis as a devoted mother who raised seven children ranging in age from 2 to 12 years old.
Police say the investigation remains ongoing and additional details will be released as they become available.
