A Phoenix man has been charged with gunning down his brother, a prominent attorney, in the brother’s driveway on Friday morning.
According to KTVK, 49-year-old Christopher Eaves was apprehended upon his return to the crime scene in the company of his parents, while Phoenix Police were conducting their investigation.
During the court proceedings on Saturday, Eaves engaged in disputes with both prosecutors and the judge, contending that he had been apprised of his Miranda rights and insisting on receiving specifics regarding the prosecution’s argument. The judge rebuked him, stating that the session was not a forum for argument and that he should refrain from speaking while the prosecutor was presenting details.
The authorities were summoned to the residence of James “Artie” Eaves, aged 51, at 8 a.m. on Friday, discovering the lifeless body of the lawyer in his driveway. An adjacent neighbor’s doorbell camera recorded the sound of gunfire.
While they were on scene, Christopher Eaves returned and was arrested.
“The defendant went over to the victim’s house early yesterday morning and shot the victim, fired multiple shots,” prosecutors said at a hearing on Saturday, KSAZ reported. “He returned to his house with his parents, and Phoenix Police found multiple loaded weapons in the defendant’s car.”
Eaves interrupted at that point, demanding to know “what car.”
Prosecutors asked that Eaves be given no bond.
“It’s the state’s belief that the defendant poses a risk to the community, as well as family in this case,” prosecutors said.
The judge handed out a $1.5 million bond, along with restrictions barring him from contact with any member of his family. That prompted another argument as Eaves said that he lives with parents. The judge told him he would be allowed to retrieve belongings from the home in the company of a deputy.
Prosecutors did not provide information about a motive for the murder at the hearing.
Artie Eaves was an attorney with the firm Sanders+Park, where he handled” medical malpractice cases on behalf of doctors and hospitals, as well as governmental liability matters for municipalities and counties,” the firm said.
He had previously worked as a prosecutor with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.
Christopher Eaves is due back in court on Thursday.
