Fight leaves man dead, another man charged with 2nd-degree murder
A fight between two men Tuesday night led to one choking the other to death, according to Phoenix police, who booked one of the men into jail on suspicion of second-degree murder.
According to court documents, a witness saw 58-year-old Steve Villaverde pinned to the ground by the resident of a home near Pecan Road. Police have not released the second man's name. While the witness called 911, Villaverde managed to free his hands and then choked the other man, according to police records filed in Maricopa County Superior Court.
Villaverde continued to strangle the man until he collapsed on him, police said in court records, which added that he then moved out from under the man and stood up.
According to the report, the witness told Villaverde that the man wasn't breathing, and Villaverde stated that the man was fine and "to splash water on his face."
According to Phoenix police, Villaverde admitted to detectives that he wanted to confront the man's brother over a previous disagreement. The court document said the brother managed to avoid Villaverde, and he got into an argument with the man before it became physical.
According to court documents, the witness was heard by 911 operators trying to stop the fight while on the phone.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix police: Man kills by strangulation, is charged with murder
