Category: kyma-local-news

Skylar Heisey

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Three men accused of a deadly drive-by shooting are now back in Yuma, and are facing multiple charges.

Julius Johnson, 19, Moises Murillo, 18, and Antwan Yancey, 19, are each charged with first-degree murder, drive-by shooting, participating in a criminal street gang and aggravated assault.

Police said the three were arrested in the Phoenix area in May in connection with the April 26 shooting that killed 18-year-old Valentin Morales.

All three suspects have a case management conference set for October 8. 

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Dillon Fuhrman Dr. Irfan Fazil was sentenced to serve more than seven years behind bars.

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma doctor who pled guilty to fraud was sentenced to more than seven years in prison Friday.

Dr. Irfan Fazil, 54, pleaded guilty last month to fraud, illegal control of an enterprise, theft, and illegal procurement of a dangerous drug.

Fazil will serve 7.5 years in prison for fraud and 7.5 years for illegal control of an enterprise. The sentences will be served concurrently, meaning they will be served at the same time.

Once he’s released from prison, Fazil will also serve seven years of probation, according to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.

As part of the agreement, Fazil must provide passwords for his cellphones and laptops, forfeit assets including planes and cars, turn over all financial records, and will have to pay $36 million in restitution to ACCHS.

“Dr. Fazil abused his position as a physician to steal more than $36 million from a taxpayer funded program that exists to provide health care to Arizona’s most vulnerable residents,” said Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes. “He billed for thousands of X-rays and other medical treatments that could not possibly have been performed and treated AHCCCS as his personal bank account. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute fraud in government programs to protect tax dollars.”

According to our reporter at the sentencing hearing, the state dismissed Fazil‘s wife’s case.

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Lynette Niebla

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – The race for the El Centro City Council is heating up as a new candidate steps into the political spotlight ahead of the November election.

Armando Muñoz, a longtime El Centro resident, parent, and local business owner, has officially thrown his hat into the ring.

Muñoz said his diverse background as a local builder, real estate investor, and retail store owner gives him the unique, practical experience needed to manage the city’s budget, economic development, and infrastructure.

“You know, I’m just a local parent resident frustrated with the way the direction our city has been going and I’m just wanting to make a change,” Muñoz said. “If the voters want somebody whose heart is going to be in this position and really be in it for the best of the city, then vote for me.”

A major cornerstone of Muñoz’s campaign platform is the revitalization of El Centro’s downtown core, an area he argues has been neglected by city leaders for far too long. He believes restoring the downtown area is critical to setting a standard for the rest of the Imperial Valley.

“This is the jewel, this is El Centro,” Muñoz said. “This is the big brother of the Valley. We should be an example to the surrounding cities, and if we’re downtown, our jewel is the way it is. What kind of example are we setting?”

Part of that plan involves holding local landlords accountable and establishing design guidelines to bring back the area’s visual appeal.

“We make the property owners maintain their buildings, restore their buildings,” Muñoz explained. “And if they’re building new, build similar or something that goes with the architecture.”

In addition to downtown beautification, Muñoz is vowing to tackle the homeless crisis head-on. His approach includes stricter enforcement of local laws, balanced with proactive community resources.

“Create an ordinance and if it’s existent, enforce it, to make it illegal to camp within city limits,” Muñoz said. “But before we do that, we need to have something prepared to offer these people.”

Muñoz also highlighted a desire to create more family-friendly events and community activities. He believes investing in local entertainment and infrastructure will give the city’s youth a reason to stay rooted in their hometown rather than moving away.

“A lot of our kids can’t wait to grow up and move out to San Diego,” Muñoz said. “If we could keep these families here together and create something for the kids to fall in love with their town, they won’t want to leave.”

Muñoz is currently planning an upcoming meet-and-greet event, which will give local voters a direct opportunity to speak with him and learn more about his complete vision for the city.

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Lynette Niebla

CALEXICO, Calif. (KYMA) – The Calexico Police Department (CPD) is gearing up to bring holiday joy to local youth with its 23rd annual “Kids N’ Badges” community event this December.

The heartwarming tradition pairs selected children with local police officers and firefighters for an unforgettable holiday shopping adventure.

This year, the department hopes to sponsor 30 children, giving each child $150 to spend on toys and clothing at Walmart.

The special day kicks off with a celebratory breakfast, a tour of the police and fire stations, and a grand helicopter arrival by Santa Claus.

“I’ve seen the children’s faces, how excited and happy they are to interact with the police officer and firefighter,” said Yamilet Venegas, a detective with the CPD. “To be able to shop with them and show them the toys that they receive or the clothes that they’re getting…it’s a very unique experience.”

Over the past two years, community generosity has allowed the event to bring joy to more than 50 local children.

To continue this cherished tradition and make the 2026 event the most impactful one yet, organizers are calling on local families and businesses for support.

Donations are kindly requested by November 2, 2026. Multiple secure payment options are available to contributors:

Cash: Can be turned in directly at the Calexico Police Department to Officer Yamilet Venegas or Executive Assistant Martha Gutierrez. Check: Must be made payable to the Calexico Educational Foundation. Venmo: Donors can quickly contribute by scanning the official event QR code via the Venmo app.

For questions or to request additional information regarding sponsorships, community members can reach out to the event coordinators directly:

Martha Gutierrez (Executive Assistant): Call (760) 768-2140 ext. 204 or email gutierrezm@calexico.ca.gov. Yamilet Venegas (Police Officer): Call (657) 307-3132 or email venegas@calexico.ca.gov. In-Person Drop-off: Calexico Police Department, 420 E. 5th Street, Calexico, California.

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Jessamyn Dodd

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – Sonia Carter, who has served on the El Centro City Council since 2022, also served as mayor of the city in 2025.

Carter decided to run for reelection in a crowded race of eight candidates because she said there’s still a lot of work to do.

“The work is not done. The work needs to continue, and we have a strong team, and whoever comes in, I’m sure they’ll jump aboard, and I’m ready to just continue working,” Carter told News 11.

“Being up for re-election has been a wonderful event for the simple fact that we’ve accomplished so much as a city,” she declared.

Among Carter’s main goals is the completion of two key projects.

“Pushing for Gomez Park to be finished, we’re at 80%. It’s a big project that we have been working on, and I’m excited to see it be completed. And also, we are working downtown. We have a lot of things going on downtown,” she said. “People really need to understand what’s going on downtown.”

Carter says she remains accessible, and residents can always contact her about their concerns.

“I’m out there. I talk to the community. I don’t stop,” the candidate said.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Yuma is making national headlines after being named one of the most affordable cities in America for homebuyers.

According to a new WalletHub study, Yuma ranks fourth on a list of 300 cities across the country. Flint, Michigan, ranked as the most affordable city, while Santa Barbara, California, ranked last.

Experts say affordability can make Yuma attractive to first-time buyers and families. However, rising interest rates and limited housing inventory may still impact buyers’ decisions.

“We’ve seen a little bit of a slowdown, and we will see what happens with these interest rates. I think that’s definitely a factor going forward, but people still need to buy, people still need to sell, and your best bet is to find someone who can help you with options, help you with a lender, or help make sure you’re getting the best loan and the best deal on the home you want,” said Connie Sims, designated broker and operating principal with Keller Williams Realty.

According to Realtor.com, as of today, home mortgage interest rates in Yuma average between 7.04% and 7.13% for a standard 30-year fixed loan.

Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls said the ranking reflects the city’s efforts to support growth while keeping housing affordable.

“Well, number four is pretty impressive when you think of 50 states. So, for me, it’s impactful. It means we are doing our job trying to make sure we are there for the growth and that people can afford to live here. In some communities around the country, people have to live outside of their community, and we aren’t like that,” Mayor Nicholls said.

More than 100,000 people live in the city of Yuma. According to USAFacts.org, during the decade between 2015 and 2025, Yuma County saw its population grow by 9.4%. About 1.4% of that growth came from people moving in from out of state.

For those looking to buy their first home, Keller Williams Realty will be hosting a first-time homebuyer program.

“We are having a first-time homebuyer seminar here on October 21 at 6 p.m. Anyone who wants to come and get more information is welcome. A lender and I will be here as well to answer any questions,” Sims said.

Anyone interested in purchasing a new home or learning more about the first-time homebuyer seminar can visit the Keller Williams website.

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Connor Emery

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Healing Journey Trauma Recovery Center hosted a Domestic Violence Awareness Walk Thursday evening as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

The walk happened on the intersection of 4th Avenue and 16th Street where many cars gave a honk passing by.

Survivors and other agencies came out to the walk as they stood on each corner of the intersection. The walk symbolizes taking a stand to end domestic violence and encouraging the victims to speak out.

“We don’t know who’s in those cars, we don’t know what home they go to. And if they see so many people they’re going to start looking, where is this from? And they’re going to say, ‘I need help, I need some kind of counseling.’ I cry for the children. They’re the secondary victims that see so much,” Estrella Fitch, CEO & Founder of Healing Journey.

Other agencies that came to the walk included: Amberly’s Place, Safe House Shelter, MCAS Advocacy and Victim Services.  

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Connor Emery

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes wrote a letter regarding a water rate increase in parts of Arizona, including Yuma.

Tierra Mesa Estates and Rancheros Bonitos are two systems in Yuma that use Cactus State.

Residents were notified last November of a rate increase that was approved by the commission in which customers saw their bill jump over 300%.

Central State, which is the parent company of Cactus State, said they’re looking into the matter.

“I am aware of the letter. We plan on reopening a rate case. Probably most likely file another rate case where you could deal with these issues sometime in the future…Unfortunately, these systems have been left in disrepair for decades. I think the uranium issue in Tierra Mesa has existed for 50 years,” Josiah Cox, President of Central State, said.

There are also still high amounts of uranium in the water above the legal limit. For the pricing, Cox said it’s based on the meter of each property in the estates.

“We are programmed that if you don’t believe in meter reading, we can go remove the meter and test it. And if it is broken, we issue a credit to the customer or refund and we pay for the meter replacement. If it’s reads correctly, the customer has to pay for that service,” Cox said.

The Yuma County Board of Supervisors also sent a letter to the commission inviting them to hold a public meeting with those impacted by Cactus state.

Chairman Nick Myers who sits on the commission board provided a statement saying:

“The Commission understands the ratepayers’ struggle with their monthly utility bills and is committed to working with the community to address their concerns.  The previous owner of this utility, Tierra Mesa Estates Water Co., failed to seek consistent rate adjustments. The previous rates were set in 2000, the utility has since been purchased by Cactus State Utility Operating Company, LLC, which filed a rate adjustment in 2024, and that case established the rates that customers are now experiencing.  The utility is currently facing about a dozen ongoing violations of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality water safety standards in relation to unsafe levels of uranium. Cactus State was granted financing approval in the recent rate case for the construction of a new water treatment plant for the Tierra Mesa system that would remedy the ADEQ violations. The combination of the previous owner’s failure to seek consistent rate adjustments over the years and the serious water safety violations that must be immediately addressed both contribute to the current rate shock. I am working with the Yuma County Board of Supervisors to set up a virtual town hall with county officials and ratepayers to answer questions and provide more information regarding the rate case.”

We will keep you updated on when that meeting will be.

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Adrik Vargas

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The prosecution and defense presented opening arguments as the trial for the man accused of the Yuma house party shooting got underway Thursday.

Aden Arviso, 23, faces two counts of first-degree murder and four counts of aggravated assault in connection to the May 2023 house party shooting.

Danny Garcia, 19, and Ande Blackthunder, 20, were killed, and other minors were shot.

During opening statements, the state highlighted a six-second Snapchat video, with Deputy County Attorney Joshua Davis-Salsbury saying, “If you pause the video at the right time, you’re able to see he’s actually pointing his gun directly at those two victims at one point.”

However, Daniel Curiel, Arviso’s attorney, said there’s more to the story than the six-second video.

“Anyone who has ever walked in on their family, family member halfway through a movie knows the few seconds they caught a glimpse of is not the entire movie. We are here to show you the rest of it,” Curiel explained.

The prosecution said Arviso was one of three armed men who intentionally took part in the shooting.

“You don’t see him firing on the victim. But ten feet behind him, we would locate five, nine-millimeter casings,” Davis-Salsbury spoke.

The defense said Arviso was armed, but never fired his gun or intended to kill anyone.

“Innocent kids were shot, kids that were not threats. It was a terrible rate. A terrible night in Yuma, Arizona. But Aden did not join these people in acting recklessly. He had a gun. He took it out after this chaos broke out after the gunfire erupted, but chose not to use it. He did not start that fight, even tried to break it up,” Curiel expressed. “We will prove to you that Aiden is not responsible for those five casings.”

The other suspect in the shooting, Abraham Colin, 22, was sentenced to serve 20 years for the murder charge, and an additional ten years for the assault charge consecutively, after pleading guilty back in August to second-degree murder and aggravated assault charges.

The trial will resume Tuesday, October 6, and is expected to last about five weeks.

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Connor Emery

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is asking to be on the lookout for the “New World screwworm” after a recent case of it in New Mexico. 

New World screwworms are a type of fly larvae that eat on living tissue. It has mostly been found in animals with 51 reported cases across the U.S since June.

There has only been one confirmed case of an individual from the U.S contracting after traveling to El Salvador last year.

“Everyone is doing a lot of work to minimize the spread and to slow it down and minimize the density of these flies. So the good news is that most likely you’re not going to encounter adult flies,” Ann Fan, AZGFD Assistant State Wildlife veterinarian.

Screwworms are normally found in animals with open wounds or with a foul odor. AZGFD also wants to reassure that it’s not something to panic over but still be on the lookout for.

“We want people to be aware but not be worried. This is not something that will cause a mass depopulation of any of our animals in any industry. If it happens within our livestock or household pets, it’s very treatable,” Fan said.

For more information on screwworms and how to identify them, click here.

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