Three people were arrested in connection with the death of a good Samaritan in Arizona last month. Paul Clifford, 53, was found dead near a smoldering car after leaving his house at 11:30 p.m. to help a stranger with a stranded vehicle. The suspects were identified as Jack Upchurch, 40, Elmer Smith, 19, and a 16-year-old minor. The trio barricaded themselves in a home but eventually surrendered to authorities after negotiations.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department received a tip about the suspects’ possible location, leading to their arrest. No information about a motive or how they were connected to Clifford’s death was provided. The suspects were booked into the Pima County Adult Detention Center on felony arrest warrants, with bail set at $1 million for Upchurch, $1.025 million for Smith, and $500,000 for the minor. Legal representation for the suspects was not immediately known.
Clifford’s daughter, Sabrina Vining, expressed gratitude for the arrests in a Facebook post, thanking law enforcement for their efforts in solving her father’s case. The sheriff’s department did not disclose the cause or manner of Clifford’s death. The news of the arrests brought closure to Clifford’s family and the community, as the suspects were apprehended and taken into custody for their alleged involvement in the crime.
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