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FLORENCE, Ariz. – A San Manuel man has been charged in the shooting death of Nicolas Angelo Lagunas.
According to Tim Gaffney, Public Information Officer of the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, a 911 call was received on Sat., Oct. 27, 2012, at 9:09 p.m. from a resident in the 300 block of E. Fifth St., San Manuel. The caller reported that an unknown male individual was banging on their front door yelling for the homeowner to call 911.
Deputies arrived at the residence within minutes of the call being dispatched and, upon their arrival, they found Nicholas Angelo Lagunas, 30, Winkelman, laying on the ground outside of the residence. Lagunas was unconscious and bleeding from a gunshot wound to the chest.
Despite the efforts by deputies and medical personnel, he was pronounced deceased at the scene.
PCSO Homicide Detectives responded to the scene and began conducting an investigation. During the course of the investigation, it was determined Lagunas had allegedly been shot by Stephen Paul Dionne, 29, San Manuel.
According to Gaffney, detectives discovered that the two men had been involved in a verbal altercation at the home Dionne lived at in the 200 block of E. Fifth Street, San Manuel. During the altercation, detectives said Dionne shot Lagunas in the chest. After being shot, Lagunas ran down the street to a house and began banging on the door yelling for help. Lagunas died at the scene as a result of the gunshot wound he received.
Following the shooting, Dionne fled the scene and went into hiding. On Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012, homicide detectives with the assistance of the U.S. Marshal’s Office were able to locate Dionne at a residence in Tucson near the intersection of Grant and Country Club.
Dionne was taken into custody and booked in the Pima County Jail for an outstanding felony probation violation warrant. On Friday, Nov. 2, detectives filed charges of first degree murder.
Stephen Dionne
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