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Arizona Landscaper Fatally Shot After Renter Mistakenly Identifies Him as Vandal

Wyatt Ford, charged with second-degree murder, remains in custody as Manuel Vega Lopez’s family faces mounting financial and medical struggles.

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A floral arrangement, a prayer candle and a wooden cross are seen May 22, 2025 in front of a house in Gilbert near Higley and Germann roads. According to police, the home was the site of a shooting that killed Manuel Vega Lopez after the resident, Wyatt Bruce Ford, mistook the landscaper for someone who vandalized and stole from his trailer.
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Overview

  • Manuel Vega Lopez, 51, was shot and killed on May 19 in Gilbert, Arizona, after being mistaken for a vandal by renter Wyatt Ford.
  • Ford, 28, was arrested on May 20 and charged with second-degree murder; his bond is set at $1 million with electronic monitoring.
  • Court documents reveal Ford had been informed by the landlord that a landscaper would be arriving to work on the property.
  • Lopez, an experienced landscaper and sole provider for his family, leaves behind a wife requiring dialysis and a son undergoing chemotherapy.
  • The family has launched a GoFundMe to address urgent medical and living expenses while mourning their loss.