Couple Arrested for First-Degree Homicide of Arron Warren

A couple has been arrested after detectives determined they pre-planned the stabbing death of a registered sex offender in a desert area of western Arizona, fox10phoenix.com reported.

The investigation began around 11:45 a.m. on Nov. 7, when a motorist discovered a man on the side of the road near Silver Creek Road and Bullhead Parkway, according to the Bullhead City Police Department.

The victim, identified as 29-year-old Arron Christopher Warren, was described by investigators as a Bullhead City transient. Warren was a registered Level 2 sex offender.

Police quickly identified a missing vehicle belonging to Warren, which was later located by officers working with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. The vehicle was found parked at a casino in Laughlin, Nevada.

Authorities have taken Jacob Dylan Middlebrook, 35, and his girlfriend, 36-year-old Layne Justine McIntosh, into custody. Both are residents of Bullhead City and were described by police as local transients who had known Warren for several months.

Couple Arrested for First-Degree Homicide of Arron Warren

While the pair were initially arrested for second-degree homicide, the Bullhead City Police Department announced on Nov. 9 that they upgraded the charges to first-degree homicide.

Detectives stated that Middlebrook and McIntosh had expressed a distaste for registered sex offenders. Investigators also found evidence that the couple had planned the killing in advance.

According to police reports, the pair pre-determined the specific desert location where they intended to leave Warren’s body. Detectives also noted that the suspects had reportedly measured furniture and beds to see if they were large enough to cover the victim’s body along the roadside.

Middlebrook and McIntosh are currently being held at the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas as they await extradition to Mohave County, Arizona.

The incident has prompted a response from local law enforcement regarding the communication of sex offender registry information to the public.

Bullhead City Police Chief Paul George addressed the community on social media on Nov. 9, explaining the department’s policy on sharing registry data. He noted that while mandatory notifications are mailed to residents within a 1,000-foot radius of an offender’s address, the department also utilizes social media to reach a wider audience.

“Our goal is to provide information, not create fear or alarm. We believe an informed community is a safer community,” Police Chief Paul George wrote.

It remains unclear how detectives established the direct connection between Middlebrook, McIntosh, and the homicide, or exactly where the suspects were located during the commission of the crime.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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