Maria Lewis, a 32-year-old Arizona mother of seven, was fatally shot on February 28, 2026, near E. Kinetic Dr and S. Reliance Way in Mesa, with her body found on a neighbor’s doorstep. Her husband, Albert Mendivil, saw police lights from their apartment while inside with their children—ages 2 to 12—and rushed out to discover her dead from a gunshot wound.
Incident Overview
Mesa Police responded to a welfare check around dawn and confirmed 47-year-old DuLance Morin, an Arizona Attorney General’s Office agent since 2016, was “involved” in the shooting during an altercation at his residence. Morin claims it was accidental, but details on why Lewis was there remain unclear; no arrest has occurred as the investigation continues.
Official Responses
Morin was placed on administrative leave pending Mesa PD’s probe, with the AG’s office cooperating fully and planning an internal review. Lewis’ family demands murder charges, launching a GoFundMe to support the widowed Mendivil and children, describing her as a devoted parent.
Family Grief
Mendivil called Lewis “a great person,” expressing devastation amid the tragedy’s impact on their large young family. Police have withheld further details to protect the ongoing case.
