Gary Parohinog kicked down a door of an apartment and shot a 26-year-old woman to death following an argument over a parking spot, Phoenix police allege. He’s charged with first-degree murder. (Arizona Department of Corrections Rehabilitation and Reentry)
Upset after a fight over a parking spot, a man kicked down the door of an apartment and shot a woman to death in front of kids, authorities in Arizona say.
Phoenix police responded to a shooting around 9 p.m. on Dec. 14 at the 1300 block of East Mohave Street. When officers arrived they found 26-year-old Edith Rivas suffering from a gunshot wound. Paramedics rushed her to the hospital where she later died.
Detectives hours later arrested 34-year-old Gary Parohinog on a first-degree murder charge. He’s being held at the Maricopa Jail without bond.
According to a probable cause statement reviewed by Law&Crime, Parohinog became upset that Rivas parked her car in the driveway of their apartment complex, blocking his car. He told Rivas to move her car and an argument ensued inside the apartment. Parohinog allegedly pulled out a small handgun. Rivas tried to push the gun away but Parohinog fired, hitting her in the upper left shoulder, the affidavit said. He then pulled out another gun and pulled the trigger, but it jammed, authorities allege. Rivas yelled at her roommate to call the police and the roommate locked the door after Parohinog left.
But Parohinog returned moments later and allegedly kicked down the door. He reportedly snatched the roommate’s phone as she was trying to call 911 and threw it on the ground, causing it to shatter. He then walked into Rivas’ room and shot her in the chest “within feet” of his girlfriend’s children, who Parohinog said were present at the time, according to the affidavit.
Parohinog took off before cops arrived, allegedly striking multiple vehicles as he drove away.
Detectives were able to make contact with Parohinog and arrested him. In an interview with investigators, he allegedly admitted to shooting Rivas, reportedly saying it stemmed “from a long-standing feeling of despise towards the victim.”
Arizona Department of Corrections Rehabilitation and Reentry records show Parohinog had recently served five years in prison for armed robbery, aggravated assault and discharging a firearm in city limits. He was released in February.
Parohinog has a court hearing scheduled for Thursday.
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