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A man has been arrested in Tennessee in connection with the death of a young Arizona woman, whose body was discovered after she was allegedly tortured and burned alive in the backseat of a car. Mercedes Marianna Vega, 22, tragically died under mysterious circumstances in April 2023. As previously reported by Law&Crime, her body was found after the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office responded to a car fire just after midnight on April 17, 2023. Vega had a gunshot wound in one arm, blunt force trauma from beating, bleach poured down her throat, and ultimately died from smoke inhalation while being burned alive, according to autopsy results revealed by her parents in late October 2023.
The body was discovered along Interstate 10 near Tonopah, a remote area about 60 miles west of Tempe. Earlier that evening, surveillance footage showed Vega leaving her parking garage for a planned night out with friends at the Dave & Buster’s restaurant and arcade.
Arrest in Tennessee
On November 11, 2023, 22-year-old Sencere Hayes was arrested by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee. Maricopa County law enforcement is now working on his extradition back to Arizona, where he faces charges in connection with Vega’s murder. The case remains active, and Maricopa County authorities are collaborating with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to ensure Hayes is brought back to face justice.
“MCSO has been working tirelessly on the Mercedes Vega case,” said Sgt. Monica Bretado of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. “We are working with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to get Hayes extradited back to Maricopa County.”
Vega’s parents, in an emotional interview with Phoenix-based Fox affiliate KSAZ, said their daughter did not know Hayes and were relieved by the arrest, which came at a particularly difficult time.
“This time of the year is really hard,” said Vega’s mother, Erika Pillsbury, as she described preparing her daughter’s Christmas stocking. “We have her stocking to hang up, and I will always hang it up right next to her siblings’ stocking and that’s her Christmas tree from her house.”
Abduction and Final Hours
Authorities believe Vega was abducted from her parking garage in Tempe. Investigators shared with her parents some of the disturbing details about her final hours. According to the information they received, Vega was struck on the head, forced into a vehicle, shot in the arm, and ultimately burned alive.
“We didn’t find out a lot of the information, like the bleach in her throat, until after,” said Tom Pillsbury, Vega’s father. “Six months later,” added her mother, Erika.
Vega’s car was found near her apartment, abandoned after the abduction, but not at the location where her body was discovered. The family later found blood stains in her parking spot, which confirmed the violent nature of the crime.
More Arrests Expected
Authorities have suggested that additional arrests are likely as the investigation progresses. Vega’s parents, though, expressed hope that Hayes’ arrest would bring them closer to justice for their daughter.
“It’s such a huge relief,” said Vega’s mother, in an emotional interview. “We got him. We got him. She is going to be vindicated, and she is going to get justice,” said her father, Tom Pillsbury.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office confirmed that extradition efforts for Hayes are ongoing, but additional details will be provided once they are available. The case remains under investigation.
Stay informed about this ongoing case and the fight for justice. Follow us for updates on the investigation and share this story to help raise awareness about the tragic murder of Mercedes Vega.
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