The suspect who killed two Kingman residents will soon stand trial in Mohave County, pending the conclusion of an unrelated first-degree robbery case in Tempe.
Daniel M. Avila, 25, of Mirage, entered into a plea agreement with the Maricopa County Prosecutor's Office on January 17th. Avila had been awaiting trial on six counts of first-degree robbery since his arrest last year, but this month he pleaded guilty to one count of attempted robbery. First-degree theft as a non-dangerous crime. He is currently scheduled to appear in court on February 15 for sentencing in the case, prior to extradition to Mohave County.
Avila was arrested on suspicion of a home invasion in Tempe on February 21st. At the time, Avila was found in possession of a firearm linked to the June 2022 shooting deaths of Darren VanHouten, 50, and Retta Atkins, 73, at a Kingman residence. It is reported that. Avila was also found to be in possession of a firearm, law enforcement officials said. The clothing he was wearing at the time of his arrest was nearly identical to what the suspect was seen wearing on surveillance video recorded at Van Houten and Atkins' home the night of his death.
In February last year, Avila was reportedly found with a gunshot wound to his left shoulder. As of last year, Mohave County investigators believed the injuries may have occurred when Van Houten fired the gun in self-defense at the alleged killer in June 2022.
It was Avila's arrest in February that prompted Mohave County sheriff's deputies to file murder charges against Avila with county prosecutors. He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in Kingman Justice Court last year. But Avila's arrest in Tempe also kept him out of the reach of Mojave authorities until now, as he awaits trial in Maricopa County.
Avila's case in Maricopa County is nearing conclusion, but he is still wanted in Mohave County for the murders of Van Houten and Atkins. Atkins is a well-known member of the Kingman community and is commonly referred to as the “Gold Lady” by residents.
Avila could be transferred from the Arizona Department of Corrections to Kingman to face sentencing in Maricopa County next month, according to a statement from Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith last year.
