Pima County, Arizona – An Arizona man was found deceased next to his burning vehicle after helping a stranded stranger.
Update: The identities of the three suspects detained in relation to the killing of Paul Clifford, a good Samaritan, have been revealed.
Jack Upchurch, 40, Elmer Smith, 19, and Wendy Scott, 16, showed up in court early on Tuesday, December 31.
First-degree murder, robbery, car theft, and arson are the charges against Upchurch, Smith, and Scott. Scott’s bond was set at $500,000. Upchurch and Smith are being held on $1 million bonds.
The arrests were the result of a standoff that occurred Monday night, according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.
According to the PCSD, investigators learned that the suspects might be near Country Club on Benson Highway.
The Pima Regional SWAT Team served the search warrant that detectives had acquired at the scene. After barricading themselves inside the house, the suspects called 911 in an attempt to negotiate a surrender.
The three suspects were taken into custody without any problems, according to the PCSD.
Paul Clifford, 53, a husband and father of two, left his home in Vincent, Arizona, late at night on December 23rd after a man approached him at his house, claiming that his car had broken down.
Paul borrowed his daughter Sabrina Vining’s truck to assist the man at around 11:30 p.m., intending to jump-start the stranded vehicle.
Paul’s family became worried when he didn’t return home after several hours and contacted law enforcement.
The next day, December 24th, on Christmas Eve, authorities tracked his truck to a desolate stretch of road in Tucson, Arizona, approximately 14 miles from his home.
Police found Paul’s lifeless body next to his daughter’s burned-out truck, described by authorities as a “smoldering vehicle.”
Authorities stated that the location was so remote and difficult to access that it was almost impossible to reach without a specialized vehicle. It was an isolated area, and the circumstances surrounding how Paul ended up there remain highly suspicious.
A few hours after Paul left home, at around 1:30 a.m. on December 24th, police received a report of suspicious activity in the area. However, when officers arrived at the scene, it was clear. No further details about the call have been released to the public.
In a GoFundMe post, Vining described her father as “a gentle giant with a huge, caring heart.”
“I am at a loss for my mom and am doing everything in my power to support her at this time,” Vining wrote, adding that while she feels uncomfortable asking for funds, “my mom is going to need help in the wake of this devastation.”
An investigation is ongoing. Police have not released any information about a possible suspect or person of interest, nor whether the suspect acted alone or as part of a group.
