GILBERT, AZ – In the early hours of Monday morning, a quiet Arizona neighborhood was shaken by a deadly act that police say erupted from a night of drinking and turmoil.
Shortly before 1 a.m., Judah Chesley, 26, allegedly picked up the phone, his voice laced with confusion and distress, and called 911. According to investigators, Chesley told the dispatcher that he had shot his girlfriend, admitting, “Well, now it’s my ex.” Authorities say Chesley confessed the act but struggled to provide an explanation for his actions that night.
When police arrived at the home, they encountered Chesley, his hands and clothes smeared with blood. Officers quickly detained him and soon discovered a semi-automatic Glock 9 mm handgun, the weapon believed to have been used, lying near the lifeless victim. The woman has not yet been identified by police.
According to law enforcement records, Chesley first tried reaching his father moments after the fatal shot. He then spoke to 911, reportedly revealing that he was under the influence of alcohol and that confusion clouded his memory of the event. At one point, he told the dispatcher to use “triangulation” to pinpoint his location, urgently adding, “It’s not her fault. Don’t blame her.”
Inside the residence, Chesley’s mother and stepfather, who were asleep during the incident, later told authorities that Chesley often lost his temper and had a history of becoming aggravated. They recalled how the prolonged stress of pandemic lockdowns seemed to worsen his mental state—an issue they say he refused to address with a professional.
In conversations with detectives, Chesley’s father described receiving frantic calls from his son following the shooting. The father alleged that Chesley recounted the event in a daze, telling him that he didn’t know how it happened, but acknowledging a bullet had struck his girlfriend in the face.
Investigators also spoke with the victim’s relatives, who described previous turmoil in the couple’s relationship. One family member recalled multiple arguments and mentioned a troubling incident when Chesley reportedly used a Taser on the woman in the past.
Court documents state that Chesley told dispatchers that his girlfriend woke him during his “drunken stupor,” but was vague about the precise events leading up to the fatal gunshot. His parents were present in the home but did not witness the shooting.
Chesley was booked into jail on suspicion of second-degree murder. As of Tuesday, prosecutors had not yet filed formal charges against him.
Authorities continue to piece together the circumstances that led to the tragic night, while the family and friends of the victim seek answers in the wake of a sudden and violent loss. The investigation remains ongoing.