Overview

• Cudjoe Young and Sencere Hayes were indicted on July 24 for first-degree murder, kidnapping, arson, armed robbery and related charges in the April 2023 killing of Mercedes Vega.
• Young has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has dismissed his attorney to represent himself in upcoming court proceedings.
• A third suspect, Jared Gray, remains charged in absentia and is awaiting extradition from Georgia to Arizona.
• Investigators say fingerprints linking Hayes and Gray were found on items inside the Chevrolet Malibu where Vega’s body was discovered.
• Authorities allege Young coordinated the aftermath by paying associates to retrieve the burning vehicle and arranging travel for co-defendants.