Murders of Raul and Brisenia Flores
Encyclopedia
On May 30, 2009, Raul "Junior" Flores, 29, and his daughter, Brisenia, 9, of Arivaca, Arizona
, were murdered during a home-invasion by Shawna Forde and accomplices. Pima County
Sheriff Clarence Dupnik
said the attackers hoped to rob the Flores-Gonzales family.
Gina Marie Gonzalez, 31, Junior's wife, was in the home during the attack. Gonzalez called 911 emergency services
when the assailants left the home for a few moments. While Gonzalez was on the phone, the assailants reentered the home and Gonzalez fired a handgun of her husband's, wounding one of the assailants. Gonzalez identified two men, one "white," the other "Mexican," and a white woman as her attackers. Gonzales said it was the white man who had murdered her daughter and husband.
An early exchange within the 911 call is as follows:
Another Flores daughter, 12, had been at her grandmother's home in Sahuarita, Arizona
, during the attack.
Shawna Forde, along with supporters from organizations she formed and was a member of maintain her innocence, claiming racial profiling and improper investigatory work.
City Council in 2007.
Forde had several run-ins with the law before her arrest for double murder. Court records show that she served time in juvenile lock-ups for repeated convictions involving theft, burglary and prostitution. Forde married four times. In 1989, her future husband sought court protection from Forde claiming that she had physically attacked him and threatened to hurt herself with a knife. In 2007, she was charged with stealing a small container of chocolate milk from an Everett grocery store, which Forde described as a misunderstanding. While running for the Everett City Council, her son was convicted of assaulting the owner of the beauty salon at which she was employed. In January 2008, Forde accused members of a drug cartel of sexually assaulting and shooting her, however, she later suggested the alleged culprits were actually criminal associates of her son. Forde's brother alleges she fabricated the story, and authorities closed the case due to insufficient evidence. In 2007, she first became involved in the anti-illegal immigration activities and later joined the Minutemen Civil Defense Corps. However, she was asked to leave the organization in February 2007 after members described her as being "unstable". Forde later founded a splinter group, the Minutemen American Defense (M.A.D.) organization, which had 14 members at the time of the attack on the Flores family.
On February 14, 2011, Shawna Forde was found guilty of all eight counts for which she was being prosecuted: two counts of first degree murder for Raul and Brisenia, one count of attempted first degree murder for Brisenia's mother Gina Gonzalez, two counts of aggravated assault and one count each of burglary, armed robbery, and aggravated robbery. On February 22, 2011 she was sentenced to death by a Tucson jury, becoming the 3rd woman on Arizona's death row.
, is M.A.D.'s National Director of Operations. Bush was shot in the leg during the same time frame as the attack.
Bush is Forde's second in command. He has ties to the Aryan Nation and was also charged in June 2009 with the 1997 murder of Hector Lopez Partida in Wenatchee, Washington
. He is also charged with the Sept. 1997 execution styled killing of his Aryan Nation associate, Jonathan Bumstead, also of Wenatchee, WA for supposedly committing the "crime" of "being a 'race-traitor'". Later in 1997, Bush was imprisoned for the theft of a car and for his possession of a firearm (unlawful because Bush was already a felon, from a previous conviction). After he was released in 2003, Bush moved to Sandpoint, Idaho
, where he lived until 2007. Bush is also suspected in at least 2 additional killings during the latter part of 1997. According to information that was provided to Washington state detectives, Bush is alleged to have, on two separate instances, shown up at acquaintances residences covered in blood, and asking to be allowed to clean up there, as he had "just finished taking care of some business". Detectives are currently attempting to find any links to unresolved cases.
In April 2011, Bush received the death penalty for the Flores murders, and in May 2011 another 78 years for other crimes.
, is believed to have provided intelligence about drug activities in the area to the M.A.D. Gaxiola had been imprisoned on marijuana charges from 1992 to 2000. According to Gonzalez, Gaxiola and Flores had an on-going dispute that had originated in 2008 over marijuana belonging to Gaxiola that had been stored at Flores's residence. The head of the Tucson office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, Anthony Coulson told the Arizona Daily Star, "Raul Flores was a drug-trafficker." Today, the DEA declines to comment on Mr. Flores.
, a former member who quit the organization after Forde's arrest, says that M.A.D. had about 14 members and that Forde termed its covert missions "Delta One Operations." Stonex said Forde intended to fund the purchase of a 40 acres (16.2 ha) property in southern Arizona where she had intended to establish a base for her group's border operations.
911 CALL!
Arivaca, Arizona
Arivaca is an unincorporated community in Pima County, Arizona, United States. It is located north of the Mexican border and northwest of the port of entry at Nogales. The European-American history of the area dates back at least to 1695, although the community was not founded until 1878....
, were murdered during a home-invasion by Shawna Forde and accomplices. Pima County
Pima County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*74.3% White*3.5% Black*3.3% Native American*2.6% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.7% Two or more races*12.4% Other races*34.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
Sheriff Clarence Dupnik
Clarence Dupnik
Clarence William Dupnik is an American law enforcement official. Dupnik was appointed Sheriff of Pima County, Arizona, in February 1980 to fill a vacancy rising from the resignation of his predecessor, Richard Boykin. He won election in his own right in September 1980, and has been re-elected...
said the attackers hoped to rob the Flores-Gonzales family.
Gina Marie Gonzalez, 31, Junior's wife, was in the home during the attack. Gonzalez called 911 emergency services
9-1-1
9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
when the assailants left the home for a few moments. While Gonzalez was on the phone, the assailants reentered the home and Gonzalez fired a handgun of her husband's, wounding one of the assailants. Gonzalez identified two men, one "white," the other "Mexican," and a white woman as her attackers. Gonzales said it was the white man who had murdered her daughter and husband.
An early exchange within the 911 call is as follows:
Gonzalez: "They shot me and I pretended like I was dead. My daughter was crying. They shot her, too.
Operator: "Are they still there, the people who, that shot them?"
Gonzalez: "They're coming back in! They're coming back in!" (Gunfire.)
Another Flores daughter, 12, had been at her grandmother's home in Sahuarita, Arizona
Sahuarita, Arizona
Sahuarita is a town in Pima County, Arizona, United States. Sahuarita is located south of the Tohono O'odham Nation and abuts the north end of Green Valley, 15 miles south of Tucson...
, during the attack.
Shawna Forde
Shawna Forde (born December 06, 1967 (age 44)), of Buena Vista, Arizona, was convicted of this crime and sentenced to death. She formed and was the self styled Executive Director of the anti-illegal immigration group, Minutemen Civil Defense Corps even though she exhibited "unstable" behavior, later formed a splinter group (Minutemen American Defense or M.A.D.) to pursue her political goals. Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik alleged Forde to have planned and ordered the murders of Flores.Shawna Forde, along with supporters from organizations she formed and was a member of maintain her innocence, claiming racial profiling and improper investigatory work.
Biography
Forde has asserted that she had formerly been the promoter of a grunge rock band; she has also worked as a youth counselor, aircraft factory worker, and as a licensed cosmetologist and esthetician. Forde ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Everett, WashingtonEverett, Washington
Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...
City Council in 2007.
Forde had several run-ins with the law before her arrest for double murder. Court records show that she served time in juvenile lock-ups for repeated convictions involving theft, burglary and prostitution. Forde married four times. In 1989, her future husband sought court protection from Forde claiming that she had physically attacked him and threatened to hurt herself with a knife. In 2007, she was charged with stealing a small container of chocolate milk from an Everett grocery store, which Forde described as a misunderstanding. While running for the Everett City Council, her son was convicted of assaulting the owner of the beauty salon at which she was employed. In January 2008, Forde accused members of a drug cartel of sexually assaulting and shooting her, however, she later suggested the alleged culprits were actually criminal associates of her son. Forde's brother alleges she fabricated the story, and authorities closed the case due to insufficient evidence. In 2007, she first became involved in the anti-illegal immigration activities and later joined the Minutemen Civil Defense Corps. However, she was asked to leave the organization in February 2007 after members described her as being "unstable". Forde later founded a splinter group, the Minutemen American Defense (M.A.D.) organization, which had 14 members at the time of the attack on the Flores family.
On February 14, 2011, Shawna Forde was found guilty of all eight counts for which she was being prosecuted: two counts of first degree murder for Raul and Brisenia, one count of attempted first degree murder for Brisenia's mother Gina Gonzalez, two counts of aggravated assault and one count each of burglary, armed robbery, and aggravated robbery. On February 22, 2011 she was sentenced to death by a Tucson jury, becoming the 3rd woman on Arizona's death row.
Gunny Bush
Jason Eugene "Gunny" Bush (born LaGrande, Oregon August 11, 1974 (age 37)), of Meadview, ArizonaMeadview, Arizona
Meadview is an unincorporated community in Mohave County, Arizona, United States, located near Lake Mead. Despite its name, the townsite does not overlook the lake; a ridge to the west of town separates it from the lake. It has roughly 1500 residents...
, is M.A.D.'s National Director of Operations. Bush was shot in the leg during the same time frame as the attack.
Bush is Forde's second in command. He has ties to the Aryan Nation and was also charged in June 2009 with the 1997 murder of Hector Lopez Partida in Wenatchee, Washington
Wenatchee, Washington
Wenatchee is located in North Central Washington and is the largest city and county seat of Chelan County, Washington, United States. The population within the city limits in 2010 was 31,925...
. He is also charged with the Sept. 1997 execution styled killing of his Aryan Nation associate, Jonathan Bumstead, also of Wenatchee, WA for supposedly committing the "crime" of "being a 'race-traitor'". Later in 1997, Bush was imprisoned for the theft of a car and for his possession of a firearm (unlawful because Bush was already a felon, from a previous conviction). After he was released in 2003, Bush moved to Sandpoint, Idaho
Sandpoint, Idaho
Sandpoint is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Bonner County, Idaho, United States. Its population was 7,365 at the 2010 census.Sandpoint's major economic contributors include forest products and light manufacturing, tourism and recreation and government services...
, where he lived until 2007. Bush is also suspected in at least 2 additional killings during the latter part of 1997. According to information that was provided to Washington state detectives, Bush is alleged to have, on two separate instances, shown up at acquaintances residences covered in blood, and asking to be allowed to clean up there, as he had "just finished taking care of some business". Detectives are currently attempting to find any links to unresolved cases.
In April 2011, Bush received the death penalty for the Flores murders, and in May 2011 another 78 years for other crimes.
Albert Gaxiola
Albert Robert Gaxiola (born February 09, 1967 (age 44)), of Arivaca, ArizonaArivaca, Arizona
Arivaca is an unincorporated community in Pima County, Arizona, United States. It is located north of the Mexican border and northwest of the port of entry at Nogales. The European-American history of the area dates back at least to 1695, although the community was not founded until 1878....
, is believed to have provided intelligence about drug activities in the area to the M.A.D. Gaxiola had been imprisoned on marijuana charges from 1992 to 2000. According to Gonzalez, Gaxiola and Flores had an on-going dispute that had originated in 2008 over marijuana belonging to Gaxiola that had been stored at Flores's residence. The head of the Tucson office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, Anthony Coulson told the Arizona Daily Star, "Raul Flores was a drug-trafficker." Today, the DEA declines to comment on Mr. Flores.
Alleged involvement of Minutemen American Defense
Minutemen American Defense is a militant nativist splinter group founded in the late 2000s by Forde after she was expelled from the Minutemen Civil Defense Corps. Various Forde family members and some of Forde's associates said that Forde began to rob presumed drug dealers in 2009, in hopes of raising funds to benefit her vigilante group. Chuck Stonex, of Alamogordo, New MexicoAlamogordo, New Mexico
Alamogordo is the county seat of Otero County and a city in south-central New Mexico, United States. A desert community lying in the Tularosa Basin, it is bordered on the east by the Sacramento Mountains. It is the nearest city to Holloman Air Force Base. The population was 35,582 as of the 2000...
, a former member who quit the organization after Forde's arrest, says that M.A.D. had about 14 members and that Forde termed its covert missions "Delta One Operations." Stonex said Forde intended to fund the purchase of a 40 acres (16.2 ha) property in southern Arizona where she had intended to establish a base for her group's border operations.
See also
- Home InvasionHome InvasionHome Invasion is the fifth solo album by Ice-T. Released in 1993, the album Home Invasion is the fifth solo album by Ice-T. Released in 1993, the album Home Invasion is the fifth solo album by Ice-T. Released in 1993, the album (which was originally set to be released in 1992 under the deal with...
- VigilanteVigilanteA vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
- Domestic terrorism
External links
- 911 call
- "Mother shot intruder; funeral set for girl, dad," 2 June 2009 Green Valley News and Sun
- Minutemen American Defense
- "New Border Fear: Violence by Rogue Militia," by Jesse McKinleyJesse McKinleyJesse Underwood McKinley is an American journalist who is the San Francisco bureau chief of The New York Times. Previously, he was an arts reporter at the Times.-Personal:...
and Malia Wollan - http://immigrationclearinghouse.org/tag/shawna-forde/
- "Arizona Violence – the Untold Story" by Bob Quasius
911 CALL!