Thu Oct 23 11:20:00 UTC 2025: News Article:
GoFundMe Tip Leads to Arrest in 2017 Arizona Stabbing Murder
Phoenix, Arizona – A crucial tip received through a GoFundMe page has cracked a cold case, leading to the arrest of Michael Anthony Arredondo in connection with the 2017 murder of Evin Paulos. Paulos, 25, was found stabbed approximately 30 times in the desert outside Phoenix.
Arredondo, 34, had befriended Paulos before the two had a falling out. Paulos’s sister had concerns about his erratic behavior. He had previously fled to Mexico after the murder.
The break in the case came in September when the GoFundMe page created by Paulos’s family received a message in Spanish claiming the suspect was in Mexico. The anonymous tipster, after initial skepticism, provided a photo of Arredondo. This information allowed Phoenix police, with the help of Mexican authorities and the U.S. Marshal Service, to arrest Arredondo in Mexico on October 15.
Arredondo has been extradited to Phoenix and is being held on $1.5 million bail. Detective Dominick Rostenberg stated that Arredondo confessed to the killing but did not provide a motive.
Paulos’s sister, Eviein, expressed relief at the arrest, hoping for closure after years of uncertainty. “At least we’re a little bit at peace,” she said. “I can let go of the anger that I’ve had for so long and just try to concentrate on life.”
The case highlights the unexpected role social media can play in solving crimes, and the determination of law enforcement to pursue justice regardless of time passed.
First Piper 