MENTALLY DISABLED 22-YEAR-OLD PHOENIX MAN ABUSED TO DEATH BY SISTER

Posted by Phoenix Homicide Attorney Nick Alcock:

Phoenix police have arrested a woman and her husband for abusing her brother to death while under their care. According to Phoenix police Officer James Holmes, the suspects have since been identified as 27-year-old Carlena Molina Pinkerton and 31-year-old Joshua Edward Pinkerton. The victim, 22-year-old James Roy Moore, was mentally disabled and the suspects were his legal caregivers, Holmes said. According to police statements, Moore was Carlena Pinkerton’s brother.

On Friday, the suspects reportedly drove Moore to the hospital and left him there at which point the hospital immediately called Phoenix police because of the extremely suspicious nature of the injuries. The medical staff observed that Moore had two black eyes, closed head injuries, bruising all over his body, and open pattern wounds all over. Doctors then reportedly diagnosed Moore with several fractures and dislocations to his nose, right hip, right femur, and right arm. Officer Holmes said Moore also had a collapsed lung, acute renal failure due to dehydration, malnutrition, and sepsis because the wounds were infected and had “flesh-eating bacteria.” He also had an inch-long object in his throat, Holmes said. Although hospital doctors and staff made many unsuccessful attempts to save Moore’s life, he was pronounced dead around 9:30 a.m. Friday. At the time Moore was officially pronounced dead by hospital staff, he was 6-feet tall and weighed only 100 pounds.

Phoenix police detectives quickly located the suspects at their home near Thomas Road and 55th Avenue. The Pinkertons were interviewed but denied knowing about any injuries except a small scrape on Moore’s nose, Holmes said.

Police subsequently served a search warrant at the home and found several indications consistent with the abuse, including a 2-feet-by-4-feet “heater” room containing only a water heater and a drain. The room was secured by an outside-only accessible dead bolt-type lock with no door handles, and it was covered in what appears to be blood spatter from the victim

Holmes said evidence strongly suggested that Moore was locked up in that room for periods of time as there also appeared to be feces in the drain and indications of restraint. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office later found signs of ongoing “torture” from old scarring, old healed fractures, and malnutrition issues.

The Pinkertons were arrested Monday and charged with offenses related to vulnerable adult abuse and second degree murder.