Man Accused In Armed Robbery Of Phoenix Dancer Has Been Charged In Her Brutal Murder

A man accused successful nan equipped robbery of an exotic dancer successful Arizona 5 years ago has been charged pinch murder, kidnapping and different crimes successful her horrific 2023 killing, tribunal records obtained Tuesday show.

Cudjoe Young, 29, was indicted connected charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping, arson, theft and equipped robbery pinch a deadly limb successful nan April 16, 2023, sidesplitting of Mercedes Vega, a transcript of nan indictment shows.

A 2nd suspect, Sencere Hayes, was charged pinch Vega's execution past twelvemonth and indicted July 24 connected nan aforesaid charges arsenic Young, arsenic good arsenic connected hindering prosecution, according to nan indictment.

Their arraignments are scheduled for Aug. 1.

Hayes is being held successful lieu of $4 cardinal bond, jailhouse records show. Young is being held without enslaved successful relationship pinch a abstracted case, according to nan records.

Attorneys for Hayes and Young did not instantly respond to requests for comment.

A spokesperson for nan Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said nan charges linked to Vega stay unfastened and declined further comment.

Mercedes VegaErika Pillsbury

A 3rd suspect, Jared Gray, was antecedently charged pinch execution successful nan lawsuit and was awaiting extradition to Arizona from Georgia, wherever he was held connected unrelated charges. Jail records reviewed Tuesday showed that he did not look to beryllium successful custody successful Maricopa County.

Vega, 22, was allegedly kidnapped from her flat building's parking car shed connected nan nighttime of April 16. Her car — a Dodge Charger — was later recovered abandoned nearby, and she was recovered beaten, changeable and burned successful nan backseat of a Chevrolet Malibu connected an interstate eastbound of Phoenix successful nan pre-dawn hours of April 17.

Bleach had been poured down her throat, authorities person said.

Vega’s family agelong believed her decease was linked to an equipped robbery astatine Vega’s Phoenix flat building connected Oct. 12, 2020, erstwhile a masked assailant robbed her astatine gunpoint aft she vanished a displacement astatine a Phoenix portion club.

Tom and Erika Pillsbury clasp a image of their precocious daughter, Mercedes Vega arsenic they airs for a image successful their surviving room connected June 13, successful San Tan Valley, Ariz.Megan Mendoza / USA Today Network via Reuters file

Young was charged pinch equipped robbery aft Vega identified him arsenic a suspect, constabulary records show, and her mother has said she was scheduled to attest successful that lawsuit connected nan time she was recovered dead.

Two different women who worked astatine nan aforesaid nine arsenic Young were targeted successful akin crimes by a man who matched Young’s description. He was charged pinch attempted robbery successful 1 of nan cases. Young has pleaded not guilty.

No arrests person been made successful nan 3rd case.

Young’s proceedings successful nan robbery and attempted robbery were scheduled to statesman Tuesday, but he sought to person his lawyer removed and is now representing himself, his erstwhile lawyer said.

That attorney, Burges McCowan, said successful an email that he will stay connected nan lawsuit arsenic Young’s advisory counsel.

McCowan declined to remark connected nan allegations.

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, which investigated nan case, antecedently sought conspiracy charges related to Vega’s execution and kidnapping. According to a probable origin connection revenge past month, Young allegedly paid 2 group to prime up nan Malibu that Vega’s assemblage was recovered successful aft it was bought done an online seller successful March.

Authorities suggested that he whitethorn person besides bought his co-defendants' level tickets from Tennessee to Arizona.

A fingerprint recovered connected a market container successful Vega’s car belonged to Hayes, and a people that belonged to Gray was discovered connected a integrative cup successful nan Malibu, according to nan statement.