Posted in: Comics | Tagged: arizona, comic shop
Murder Trial Begins For Tony Gushee, Arizona Comic Store Owner
Apache Comics & Toys of Mesa, Arizona, closed its doors back in April due to the coronavirus shutdowns but unlike most comic book stores, has not reopened since, declaring itself permanently closed. There may be other pressing matters at mind, however, that have taken their attention through the year.
Tony Gushee, the owner of Apache Comics & Toys, was arrested last year and initially charged with second-degree murder and aggravated assault,. Gushee e is now facing charges of premeditated murder in the first degree, attempt to commit first-degree premeditated murder, aggravated serious assault with physical injury and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. His trial is currently going ahead at the Maricopa County Superior Court in Arizona.
Gushee was arrested last November, after police responded to a call about shots fired at a hotel earlier that day. Police found Aaron Miller dead at the scene and a woman with gunshot wounds who needed medical attention and surgery, but survived her injuries. She is reported as telling police that a man named Tony shot them because he thought they stole his drugs. Detectives found what they describe as "a quantity of crystal-like substance that appeared to be methamphetamine packaged for sale as well as numerous syringes containing a liquid substance." Police then located and arrested Gushee at the comic book store. Gushee is also facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon in another case and Mesa PD said that Gushee has a prior history of drug-related offenses. Bleeding Cool was able to identify a 2003 case in which he pled guilty of drugs violations.
However, Tony Gushee has pled not guilty to these charges. The trial began last week will continue into November. We will keep an eye on this case, as well as any developments with Amache Comics & Toys.