Court docs detail moments before man allegedly kills brother in Arcadia
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — New court documents released on Monday detail the events before and after the deadly shooting of high-profile attorney James Arthur Eaves, who went by “Artie.” Court paperwork states that he was found face down on the driveway with blood coming from his head in Arcadia, an affluent Phoenix neighborhood, on Friday. The suspect is his brother, Christopher Eaves.
True Crime Arizona has learned police watched the entire incident unfold on the victim’s video surveillance system after the fact. The documents said Christopher reportedly shot his brother multiple times, then left the scene, only to return later with his parents.
Arizona’s Family cameras recorded the moment Christopher came back before being put in handcuffs for suspected first-degree murder.
Court documents said a man on a walk nearby heard gunshots around 8 a.m. and then saw what appeared to be a bald or short-haired man driving off in a white BMW. The witness took down the license plate, and police discovered the car belonged to Christopher.
Home surveillance footage shows Christopher arrived at his brother’s house, rammed his car into the garage door, then got out of the car wearing a hooded shirt while holding a handgun, according to court documents. A second clip shows Artie arriving home looking at the BMW before walking to his front door.
According to the Eaves’ parents, Christopher lived with them and struggled with mental illness. He also went to the hospital after being found unconscious with methamphetamine and fentanyl in his system two years before.
The parents told Phoenix Police that Christopher left their house and when he came back, they told him something bad happened at Artie’s home. Christopher said he wanted to go with them to see what happened, which is when he was taken into custody.
During their investigation, police found a hoodie that matched what Christopher was wearing in the surveillance video. Police also found loaded guns inside Christopher’s car and what appeared to be the murder weapon on his nightstand. The ammunition in the gun matched the shell casings detectives found at the scene.
Christopher did not talk to investigators but appeared vocal and argumentative during his first court appearance Saturday.
Meanwhile, the loss of Artie Eaves has stunned the legal community. Artie was a family man known for defending medical malpractice cases, and was even involved in a murder case prosecution before his death.
Christopher is facing first-degree murder and burglary charges and was given a $1.5 million cash-only bond. He’s due back in court on Thursday.
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