A man suspected of killing four people in Arizona in the last week, including a high-profile forensic psychologist who worked on the JonBenet Ramsey case, died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound Monday morning as police closed in on his hotel room, according to Phoenix police.
Scottsdale police said in a tweet around 7 a.m. local time that authorities were attempting to contact a suspect in the shootings at the Extended Stay Hotel in Scottsdale.
Phoenix police spokesman Sgt. Vince Lewis said authorities heard gunshots from the suspect’s room on Monday morning as officers were evacuating rooms adjacent to his. When a tactical team entered the room, they found the man dead of what appeared to be a self-inflicted wound, Lewis said.
He confirmed that authorities believe the man is behind a trio of deadly shootings that have claimed four lives in Phoenix and Scottsdale in recent days.
Steven Pitt, a 59-year-old forensic psychologist who consulted on a number of high-profile cases, was shot outside his office Thursday in Phoenix. Veleria Sharp, 48, and Laura Anderson, 49, on were shot Friday at the office of law firm Burt, Feldman and Grenier in Scottsdale, KNXV-TV reported. Early on Saturday, psychologist Marshall Levine was killed in his office in Scottsdale, according to KTRT.
Lewis declined to say Monday how the cases were connected or to delve into possible motives behind the attacks.
“I hope to have more information once we’re able to identify the suspect,” he said.
Authorities believe the man responsible for the shootings acted alone, Lewis said.
Officials continue to investigate.
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