Phoenix police say a man has been arrested on suspicion of killing his wife, his two young daughters and a man who the suspect thought was romantically involved with his wife.
According to police, the man, identified Friday afternoon as 30-year-old Austin Smith, killed his wife, 29-year-old Dasia Patterson. Smith is also accused of killing two young children, identified as five-year-old Nasha Smith and seven-year-old Mayan Smith, and fatally shooting 46-year-old Ron Freeman.
The couple's three-year-old daughter was not hurt and was found hiding under a bed when police arrived at the scene. According to court documents released Friday evening, the youngest daughter was not killed because she reminded Smith of himself.
The suspect said his religion was a factor in committing the crimes.
"He said that the reason he shot these individuals is because in God's eyes, it was all right for him to deal with someone in this manner who had been involved in adultery, extramarital affairs," said Phoenix Police Sergeant Tommy Thompson.
Smith also told police he killed his seven-year-old daughter because she was "weeping for the wicked".
"
Muslims don't move like that either, so that's an excuse," said Patterson's cousin, who did not want to be identified. "
Muslims don't move like that. They're kids."
Patterson's cousin said he doesn't believe the cheating claims.
"She's not like that," said the cousin. "Not like that at all."
Police say Smith is being charged with four counts of first-degree murder, a count of attempted first-degree murder, and three counts of aggravated assault. A judge has set a cash-only bond of $2 million.
http://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/arizona-news/police-investigating-shooting-along-69th-avenue-in-west-phoenix
