Investigators say a state Attorney General's Office employee has been connected to the fatal shooting of 32-year-old Maria Lewis, who was found on a Mesa doorstep shortly before 3 a.m. on Feb. 28. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner has ruled the death a homicide; police logged a 911 call about an injured person at 2:44 a.m. Authorities identified 47-year-old Dulance Morin as connected to the incident and say he has been placed on administrative leave, though he has not been publicly named a suspect and no charges have been filed. Lewis leaves seven children, and a GoFundMe page has been created to assist the family.
Attorney General’s Office Employee Placed on Leave After Mother of Seven Found Fatally Shot on Doorstep
Maria Lewis with her family.Credit: GoFundMe
Investigators in Arizona have linked an employee of the state Attorney General's Office to the fatal shooting of a mother of seven discovered on a doorstep in the pre-dawn hours of Saturday, Feb. 28.
Mesa Police Department officers responding to a 911 call reporting an injured person found 32-year-old Maria Lewis dead at the front step of a Mesa home shortly before 3 a.m.; the call was logged at 2:44 a.m., the department said. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner's office has ruled the death a homicide.
During the investigation, police say they have determined 47-year-old Dulance Morin is connected to the shooting. The department's public statement did not specify the nature of that connection, and officials have not publicly named Morin as a suspect.
The Arizona Attorney General's Office confirmed to PEOPLE that Morin is an employee and that he was placed on administrative leave while Mesa police continue their probe. Communications Director Richie Taylor said the office is fully cooperating with investigators.
Maria Lewis.Credit: Maria Lewis/Facebook
Details From the Scene
Authorities say Morin is the registered owner of the residence where Lewis was found. It is not yet clear who made the 911 call. Lewis's husband, Albert Mendivil, told Local 12 he had been at home with the couple's children and only noticed police activity roughly 30 minutes after his wife stepped outside for a walk.
"I don’t know what happened. I don’t know what made her go over there," Mendivil told the outlet.
Friends and family described Lewis as a devoted mother and warm presence. Emily Ortiz posted on Facebook that Lewis was "an amazing, talented, caring, and funny person" and a "cool but also a strict momma who cared for her children." Lewis leaves seven children, ages 2 to 12; the youngest is reported to be 2 years old. A GoFundMe has been established to support the family.
Investigation Status
Mesa police have declined to provide additional details about the investigation when contacted by PEOPLE, and as of Friday no charges had been filed. Law enforcement continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting and Morin's exact role.
Note: This is an active investigation. Authorities have not released a suspect designation or filed charges in this case at the time of this report.
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