Highlights

Antonio Rios, 26, was sentenced to 18 years in prison on August 21, 2026 for the shooting death of Jose Juan Lopez outside a Phoenix bar, closing a case that required a three-year international fugitive pursuit and a formal extradition from Mexico.

The shooting occurred in June 2022 in the parking lot of a bar near 51st Avenue and McDowell Road in Phoenix's Maryvale area, according to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office via Fox 10 Phoenix. Lopez was shot multiple times and died several days after being hospitalized. A woman was also injured in the incident, according to 12 News.

Rios fled to Mexico following the shooting and remained there for more than three years before authorities extradited him from Nogales, Mexico in September 2025. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, classified as a Class One Dangerous Felony under Arizona law.

How was Rios brought back to face charges?

Rios was extradited from Nogales, Mexico in September 2025, more than three years after the June 2022 shooting. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office confirmed the extradition and subsequent guilty plea to second-degree murder, which led to the 18-year sentence handed down August 21, 2026.

The case was also reported by AZ Family and Fox 10 Phoenix. Rios is now in state custody serving the sentence.

Sources

Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.

  1. Fox 10 Phoenix retrieved 26/08/2026 00:09
  2. 12News retrieved 26/08/2026 00:09
  3. AZ Family (3TV/CBS5) retrieved 26/08/2026 00:09

Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 26/08/2026 00:09. Every claim traces to a source.