Town in eastern Arizona rocked by double homicide

TAYLOR, Arizona — The small eastern Arizona town of Taylor, home to just 5,000 residents, is grappling with grief and disbelief after the tragic loss of two well-known community members in a double homicide last weekend.

Troy and Cynthia Templeton, both volunteer law enforcement officers with the Arizona Rangers, were found shot to death inside their home on Sunday night, June 15. The quiet town, which hasn’t recorded a single homicide in the past four years, was rocked by the violent crime.

“It’s a quiet community, it’s a pleasant community,” said Mayor Shawn Palmer. “So to have something tragic like this is really upsetting.”

The Templetons’ home, located at the corner of Center and Main streets, became the center of a sprawling investigation. Just across the street, Betty Gasaway, of local salon Fox & Co., recalled the overwhelming police presence.

“Stuff doesn’t happen like this in our small town,” Gasaway said. “To see and hear all those cops around—it was crazy. It was scary.”

According to Snowflake-Taylor Police, Cynthia Templeton’s ex-husband discovered the bodies while dropping off two of their children as part of a custody arrangement. For more than 48 hours after the discovery, the community feared a killer might still be at large.

Then came the shocking development: the prime suspect was Cynthia Templeton’s own son, 23-year-old Francis Alcantar Chavez. Police said Chavez is not a Taylor local, but had been living with Troy and Cynthia Templeton around the time of the homicides.

Authorities issued a nationwide alert for Chavez and his motorcycle. The alert paid off Tuesday night when Missouri state troopers—about halfway between Kansas City and Columbia—spotted him. During an attempted stop, authorities say Chavez opened fire, striking a trooper’s bulletproof vest. Troopers returned fire, killing him at the scene.

While Chavez’s death ends one chapter of the investigation, many questions remain unanswered. Police have not confirmed whether Chavez acted alone or if others may have been involved.

“I was hoping that person would be apprehended safely, because they are the direct link to the rest of this very big puzzle,” Palmer said. “There are plenty of other things being looked into—being investigated—that aren’t being talked about publicly, to avoid compromising the case.”

A motive for the homicides remains unclear. Snowflake-Taylor Police said while Chavez fleeing the state after the shootings is incredibly damning, they are still exploring other investigate leads.

That process includes interviewing other “persons of interest” in the case. If others were involved, police say they will leave no stone unturned to bring justice for Troy and Cynthia Templeton.

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