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UPDATE: Interim complaint gives details on Midtown murder

TPD says they believe the victim "suffered a lethal injury from an edged weapon"
Mabel Homicide
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UPDATE (3:46 p.m., Oct. 20):

An interim complaint sheds more light on the murder of 25-year-old Alec Richard Newling on Sunday.

According to the complaint, officers identified Joshua Poe and Gavin Whitaker during the course of the investigation.

They determined Newling got into a fight with Whitaker, and Whitaker ended up stabbing Newling, the complaint said. A witness then observed Poe leave the home, remove a black, semi-automatic firearm from a zippered pouch and point it at Newling.

Poe, who has several felony convictions and isn't allowed to possess firearms, shot the gun, shattering a glass table.

After his initial interview, Whitaker came back to detectives to tell them that Poe had also stabbed Newling, the complaint said.

The uninvolved witness also said he saw Poe stab Newling, the complaint said.

Whitaker told detectives he and Poe conspired to come up with a story that involved a kitchen knife being placed amongst the shattered glass as staged and the back porch being cleaned up with household bleach, the complaint said.

Poe had an abrasion to his left torso that Whitaker said was likely from Poe shooting the gun, the complaint said. He helped Poe tend to his wound, the complaint said.

Whitaker said he and Poe searched the backyard for the spent shell casing, but were unable to locate it.

Whitaker said he was given a black duffel bag that contained the firearm, several knives and vape pens that Whitaker said contained relevant evidentiary items.

Detectives located the black duffel bag and found a black 9 millimeter Taurus handgun with blood evidence, a belt and zippered pouch, an assortment of knives and vape pens, the complaint said.

Two other witnesses saw Whitaker and Poe cleaning up blood evidence from the home and back porch.

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UPDATE (1:19 p.m., Oct. 20):

Tucson Police have identified the victim as 25-year-old Alec Richard Newling.

According to a news release issued by TPD, Tucson Fire responded at reports of an injured person in the front yard of a home in the 500 block of East Mabel Street at about midnight.

Fire crews rendered aid and Newling was transported to the hospital, where he died from his injuries.

Tucson Police determined Newling suffered critical injuries during a confrontation with two other people at a home.

Detectives served a search warrant on the home, spoke to witnesses, collected evidence and processed the scene.

They arrested 40-year-old Joshua Vincent Lee Poe on suspicion of second-degree murder, misconduct involving weapons prohibited possessor, and tampering with physical evidence.

They also arrested 19-year-old Gavin Sean Whitaker on suspicion of second-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence.

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Tucson Police are investigating a homicide after a man was found dead at a Midtown home Sunday.

The incident occurred on East Mabel Street, just north of Speedway and off Country Club Road.

TPD officials said they believe the victim "suffered a lethal injury from an edged weapon."

They also say the man was found dead "sometime today either late morning or early afternoon."

Police have not released information about a potential suspect, and the investigation remains ongoing.

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