Fugitive Wanted in Casa Grande Bar Parking Lot Shooting Arrested After Nearly 3 Weeks on the Run

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. — Tristen Lee Alvarez, 21, was arrested late Thursday afternoon in connection with the fatal shooting of Jacob Encinas, 37, outside the Airport Tavern in Casa Grande, authorities announced. The arrest brings an end to a nearly three-week search for the suspect, whom police had publicly described as armed and dangerous.

The fatal shooting occurred around 1:45 a.m. on August 15 in the parking lot of the Airport Tavern on North Pinal Avenue. Investigators said a verbal argument between Alvarez and Encinas escalated until Encinas was shot once in the upper torso. Encinas was pronounced dead at the scene. Alvarez fled before officers arrived, prompting authorities to issue a public alert warning residents that he was armed and dangerous.

Alvarez faces charges of first-degree murder, misconduct with weapons, and disorderly conduct with weapons. Casa Grande police have submitted the charges to the Pinal County Attorney's Office for formal review.

Following the arrest, Casa Grande police thanked the U.S. Marshals Service and local residents for their help and patience throughout the investigation. "Although Alvarez is now in custody, this remains an active investigation," officials stated.

Authorities have not yet disclosed what sparked the fatal argument, whether the murder weapon has been recovered, or where Alvarez was hiding during his time on the run. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting is ongoing.

This case underscores the ongoing public safety concerns in Casa Grande, a city of roughly 52,000 residents located about 50 miles east of Phoenix. The Airport Tavern, a longtime local establishment on North Pinal Avenue, sits near the city's residential core.