Arizona State Police said Friday that a suspect took a 6-month-old infant hostage and shot her multiple times before bursting into a home to rescue the 6-month-old infant.
According to the Surprise Police Department, the suspect, 51-year-old Todd Christopher Marchetti, broke into a home at 168th Street and Genan Drive in Surprise around 3 a.m. and refused to let the mother and her child out. Marchetti was believed to be the child’s father.
Linda Ogle, a friend of her mother, said: I told the AZ family The victim reportedly lived with her parents to escape the alleged abuse by Marchetti. Ogle said Marchetti planned to torture the victim while his parents were out.
“He used an ax to break through one of the windows,” Ogle told the station. “He brought duct tape and rope, different shapes of pliers, and several different butcher knives.”
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Police said Todd Christopher Marchetti, 51, was found dead inside his home with what appeared to be a self-inflicted wound to the head after the fire was extinguished. (Surprise Police Station)
However, the resourceful mother escaped from her home around 11:30 a.m. and called for help from nearby construction workers. Police officers responded to a 911 call from a crew member.
Police said when they arrived at the home, they heard several gunshots coming from inside the home. One officer fired shots at the suspect inside the home, and other officers rushed inside to rescue the toddler.
A SWAT team responded and began an hours-long negotiation with the barricaded suspect. (FOX10 Phoenix KSAZ)
The child was found with multiple gunshot wounds. Police said the infant was in critical but stable condition at a local hospital. Her mother suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene.
Police said the house caught fire during negotiations. It is unclear how the fire started. (FOX10 Phoenix KSAZ)
Police said the SWAT team attempted to negotiate with Marchetti, but Marchetti barricaded himself inside the home and refused to surrender peacefully.
When investigators deemed it safe to enter the home, police discovered Marchette’s body. (FOX10 Phoenix KSAZ)
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As negotiations dragged on, a fire broke out inside the residence around 3 p.m. Firefighters were unable to immediately begin extinguishing the fire because gunshots could be heard coming from inside the house.
When investigators determined it was safe to enter the home, they found Marchetti dead inside with what appeared to be a self-inflicted wound to the head.
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Police said Marchetti’s cause of death is pending the results of a coroner’s report.
