Three individuals were taken into custody this week in connection with the tragic demise of a good Samaritan in Arizona last month, according to officials. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department has disclosed the identities of two of the arrested individuals as Jack Upchurch, 40, and Elmer Smith, 19, with the third individual being a 16-year-old, whose identity is typically not revealed by NBC News due to being a minor accused of criminal activities.
The arrests were made in relation to the death of Paul Clifford, 53, whose lifeless body was discovered near a burning vehicle northeast of Tucson in the previous month. Sabrina Vining, who claimed to be Clifford’s daughter in an online fundraising campaign, shared that her father vanished after leaving his residence at 11:30 p.m. on December 23 to assist a stranger dealing with a stranded vehicle.
Reports from NBC affiliate KVOA of Tucson indicated that Clifford’s family reported him missing subsequent to a peculiar individual knocking on his door, seeking assistance with a vehicle issue. His lifeless body was subsequently located by the sheriff’s department, however, details regarding the cause and manner of death were not disclosed.
Information was received by officials on Monday regarding a potential location for the three suspects. Detectives conducted a search of the area and were able to secure a search warrant for a property, which was executed by the Pima Regional SWAT team. The suspects barricaded themselves inside a residence but eventually contacted 911 to negotiate their surrender. Following their departure from the premises, they were placed under arrest.
The sheriff’s department refrained from disclosing any details regarding a potential motive or how the suspects were linked to Clifford’s tragic demise. The three individuals were subsequently booked into the Pima County Adult Detention Center on the basis of felony arrest warrants.
As of now, it remains unclear whether the suspects have legal representation. Jail records do not indicate the presence of attorneys for any of the three arrested individuals. Upchurch is currently being detained on a bond of $1 million, Smith on a bail amount of $1.025 million, and the minor on a bond of half a million dollars, according to jail records.
Vining expressed her appreciation for the developments in a Facebook post on Tuesday, stating, “The detective called us last night at 9:00 pm and informed us that they had apprehended suspects who are now in custody! Thank you to the law enforcement officers who diligently pursued my dad’s case.”
The investigation into the tragic incident continues, with authorities working to uncover more details surrounding the circumstances leading to the untimely death of Paul Clifford.
