Woman and her 4-year-old were kiIIed by the father of her other child, who said he feared being bIamed while cIaiming a homeIess person shot both victims, then waited hours to call 911: DA

Arizona – A Arizona man was ordered to spend the rest of his naturaI Iife in prison after pIeading guiIty to one count of first‑degree premeditated murder and one count of reckIess mansIaughter for the deaths of his girIfriend, 23‑year‑old SeIina and her child, 4-year-old AIeena. 

The case dates back to June 2019, when the 30-year-old defendant, B. Tores, called Arizona authorities claiming a homeIess intruder had broken into his Arizona home and killed both victims. According to police, the scene was eerily posed: he allegedly covered their bodies with a sheet and delayed contacting emergency services for roughly three hours, taking his one‑year‑old son to his parents’ house instead. Investigators later found no evidence of forced entry, gunshot residue from a third party, or signs of a struggle. Witness statements and physical findings contradicted his stories.

In follow‐up questioning, the defendant provided inconsistent accounts. He first claimed a stranger shot the victims, then claimed he wrestled with this intruder and the firearm discharged during the fight. When asked why he waited hours to call 911, he responded that he feared being blamed. But detectives found his statements contradicted physical evidence and surveillance, and his account didn’t align with crime scene details .

Officials also uncovered a history of domestic violence. Prior to the killings, the defendant had threatened the woman with a firearm, a pattern that prosecutors said foreshadowed the fatal acts. The victim and the defendant had a one‑year‑old child together.

The investigation began when Arizona authorities responded to the initial 911 call and quickly identified discrepancies between the defendant’s stories and the crime scene. They processed forensic evidence, interviewed neighbors, and reviewed surveillance footage before concluding that he was the sole perpetrator.

Charged initially with two counts of first‑degree murder, the defendant changed his plea in April, admitting guilt to one count of premeditated murder and a lesser charge of reckless manslaughter. This plea agreement culminated in his sentencing in early June 2025, receiving life without parole plus an additional 15-year term for manslaughter .

Investigators say that during initial police contact, while the defendant was cooperative in retelling his intruder story, they noted his demeanor was inconsistent with genuine distress. Despite this, there is no public record of his explicit admission of guilt to officers prior to or during arrest .