Arizona Couple Accused of Plotting to Kill Registered Sex Offender and Dump His Body in Desert — Police Reveal Chilling Details

An Arizona man and woman are facing first-degree homicide charges after allegedly planning and carrying out the fatal stabbing of a man they had known for several months. Investigators say the couple targeted the victim because he was a registered sex offender and had even selected a remote desert location where they intended to leave his body.

The victim, identified as 29-year-old Arron Christopher Warren, was found dead beside a road in a desert area near Bullhead City, Arizona, on the morning of November 7, 2026.

According to the Bullhead City Police Department, a motorist contacted authorities at approximately 11:45 a.m. after discovering a man lying near the roadside in the 3100 block of Silver Creek Road, about a mile east of Bullhead Parkway.

Responding officers found that Warren had suffered multiple stab wounds. Detectives began investigating the death as a homicide and soon identified him as a local resident experiencing homelessness.

Investigators also discovered that Warren’s vehicle was missing, providing an important lead in the case.

Police identified two potential suspects: 35-year-old Jacob Dylan Middlebrook and his girlfriend, 36-year-old Layne Justine McIntosh. Authorities said the couple, who were also experiencing homelessness, had known Warren for several months.

As detectives examined the circumstances surrounding the killing, they uncovered what police described as evidence of advance planning.

According to investigators, Middlebrook and McIntosh had expressed strong hostility toward registered sex offenders. Warren was registered as a Level 2 sex offender, a classification used by authorities to assess an individual’s risk of reoffending.

Police allege the couple had planned the homicide in advance and selected the desert location where they intended to leave Warren’s body.

In an especially disturbing detail, investigators said the suspects had reportedly measured furniture and beds to determine whether they would be large enough to conceal the victim’s body beside the road.

Authorities have not publicly detailed every step of the alleged attack, but they believe the evidence points to a deliberate plan rather than a spontaneous confrontation.

The investigation quickly crossed state lines when detectives learned that Warren’s vehicle had been taken.

Later that afternoon, officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department located the missing vehicle parked at a casino in Laughlin, Nevada, approximately 100 miles from Bullhead City.

With assistance from Las Vegas police, Middlebrook and McIntosh were taken into custody. Both were initially booked into the Clark County Detention Center on second-degree homicide charges.

Two days later, on November 9, police announced that the charges had been upgraded to first-degree homicide.

The suspects remained in custody in Nevada while awaiting extradition to Mohave County, Arizona, where the criminal proceedings are expected to continue. Reports indicated that it was unclear whether either suspect had retained an attorney to comment on the allegations.

Bullhead City Police Chief Paul George also addressed the case, emphasizing that information about registered sex offenders is shared with the public for safety and awareness — not to encourage vigilante violence.

The department routinely notifies residents when Level 2 or Level 3 offenders move into the area or change addresses. While certain notifications are required to reach residents living near an offender’s registered address, the department also shares information through social media.

Chief George made clear that such information must never be used as an excuse to threaten, intimidate, harass or harm another person.

He also explained that the department conducts monthly address-verification checks to help ensure registered offenders comply with their legal requirements.

The case has raised difficult questions about the line between public safety and taking the law into one’s own hands. Regardless of a person’s criminal history or registration status, authorities stressed that violence and vigilante attacks are not acceptable.

For Warren’s family and those who knew him, the investigation has ended with two suspects facing serious charges, but many details surrounding the final hours of his life remain unclear.

As the case moves toward Arizona, Middlebrook and McIntosh remain accused of a planned killing. The allegations have not yet been proven in court, and both defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty.