Amputee found tied to his wheelchair, left to die in scorching Arizona heat, police say

PHOENIX (KPHO/Gray News) — Two men are accused of tying up a man in a wheelchair and leaving him outside in extreme Phoenix heat, where he later died.

Phoenix police were called Thursday night to an area near a canal. When officers arrived, they found 33-year-old Aaron Goodyke dead in a wheelchair.

Police said his hands and chest had been tied to the wheelchair with plastic bags.

After investigating, police arrested 41-year-old Hector Corrales on suspicion of kidnapping and first-degree murder.

Investigators believe another man may have also been involved, but that person has not been publicly identified.

According to newly released police documents, two witnesses told investigators they saw Goodyke earlier that evening while the witnesses were walking on the other side of the canal. Temperatures were around 105 degrees at the time.

The witnesses said Goodyke appeared to be tied up and was mumbling. They later told their daughter about what they saw, and the daughter went to check the area and found Goodyke dead.

Police said Goodyke’s mother told investigators her son was diabetic and had one of his legs amputated earlier this year.

Goodyke had been staying with a woman who was later identified as Corrales’ mother, according to police documents. Corrales’ mother told police that Goodyke’s health worsened over the week because he refused to eat or drink.

Corrales’ mother said she, Corrales and another man tried to take Goodyke to the hospital, but he changed his mind and became combative.

According to police, the woman said the unidentified man put Goodyke in a wheelchair, tied his hands with plastic bags and wheeled him away from the home toward the canal. She later saw the man return without Goodyke.

Investigators said a video showed Corrales and the other man restraining Goodyke with bags before the wheelchair fell backward and Goodyke appeared to hit his head against the house.

Corrales was arrested Saturday at his mother’s home on a prior felony warrant for a parole violation.

Police said Corrales declined to speak with investigators. Officers collected his DNA and fingerprints before booking him into jail on suspicion of kidnapping and first-degree murder.

It is unclear if the second man has been arrested.