Grand jury indicts Arizona man for murder in landscaper’s death

GILBERT, Ariz. — A grand jury has indicted a Gilbert man for second-degree murder after he allegedly shot a landscaper in an East Valley neighborhood.

Court records show Wyatt Ford, 29, has been charged with a single count of murder in relation to the death of 51-year-old Manuel Lopez, who was shot near Germann and Power roads on May 19.

Lopez had been hired by a local landlord to conduct landscaping work. Court records indicate Ford may have thought Lopez was the person who had previously vandalized his trailer.

A witness reported hearing up to four gunshots being fired during the altercation. No weapons were found on Lopez and police reported finding a pole near him used for trimming trees, records show.

“It was really hard to believe because he was just going to work,” Lopez’s daughter told 12News last week. “He just went to work. You never imagine someone going to work to provide and not coming back.”

The charge of second-degree murder means Ford is accused of acting “without premeditation.” The offense is classified as a Class 1 felony. Ford was issued a $1 million bond at the time of his arrest.

*Editor’s Note: The above video is from an earlier broadcast.*

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