Man charged with murder and arson in woman’s death
By Craig Smith
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TUCSON, Arizona (KGUN) — Jealousy, fire, and a gun all figure into a case of a woman shot to death and a man locked in jail. KGUN 9 has more on the murder of Bailea McDermott and the charges against Avanti Pitko.
Bailea McDermott died at a house in a midtown neighborhood. Police say her killer was angry at her sister, who also lived here.
According to court documents. Avanti Pitko had been dating McDermott’s sister but when he asked for an exclusive relationship, she said, “No.”
Police say one day after that rejection frightening things started to happen to Bailea McDermott’s sister.
On Wednesday, April 5 someone slashed two tires on her car as it sat parked in front of the hair salon where she worked.
She called Avanti Pitko and told him whoever did it had been caught on surveillance video.
The next day, someone tried to break into the salon and set fire to the front of the building.
Bailea McDermott’s sister identified Pitko as the suspect who slashed her tires. She told police the arson suspect had the same build as Pitko.
Mid-afternoon, the two sisters shared their concerns about Pitko and agreed for safety they’d come home at the same time.
Just before 5:10 p.m., Bailea texted her sister that she’d arrived home. Her sister walked in about 5:30 and found Bailea on the floor, shot several times. Three 9mm shell casings were on the floor. So was a gun, but that gun had not been fired.
Police contacted Avanti Pitko’s mother and brother. They said he had told them he had shot his girlfriend. Pitko’s brother said a hat found at the scene did belong to Avanti Pitko.
Officers tracked Avanti Pitko’s cell phone, found him, and found he was carrying a 9mm handgun.
Police say the man lied to them at first, then said he had seen a man near the sisters’ house—and that provoked him into slashing the tires, then returning the following day with a bottle of gasoline to start the fire.
When police asked what happened at the house where Bailea McDermott died, he stopped talking.
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