 SUMMER FUN FOR KIDS, PAGE 3


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$2 million bail set for man accused in woman’s murder


by Brent Whiting staff writer


A $2 million bail has been set for a man accused in the shooting death of his estranged girlfriend in the parking lot of an Avondale high school. The victim, Takesha Kasasha Barnes,


Thomas Moton


33, was gunned down Friday while attending her daughter’s promotional ceremony at Westview High School, 10850 W. Garden Lakes Parkway. Thomas Lamont Moton, 38, shot and killed Barnes in the north parking lot using a .45-caliber handgun, then


fled on a motorcycle, police said. The fatal confrontation was caught on video surveillance cameras at the school. Later that day, the Phoenix man was


taken into custody after Avondale police set up a stakeout at the Avondale home of his sister, according to jail booking documents that were released Tuesday. Moton was arrested without incident after he and his sister drove away from the home in the 3800 block of North Aspen Lane, near Indian School Road and east of the Agua Fria River. Earlier, he pulled up to the home on


a motorcycle, greeted his sister at the front door and pulled away in a green Jeep with his sister, police said. Moton was arrested a short distance away after police did a traffic stop on the vehicle. Family members were with Barnes during the shooting and identified Moton as the gunman, police said. Barnes was airlifted to a Phoenix hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival. Moton was booked in a Maricopa


(See Bail on Page 2) UP


OFFER SUMMER MEALS


PROGRAM — Page 4.


SCHOOLS AND OVER


COREY REID, a professional BMX racer, goes over a jump as he takes some practice laps May 26 at the AZ ProTrac in Goodyear.


BOOK TONIGHT — Page 9.


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Volume 27, No. 15 24 Pages 1 Section


Circulation: 79,790 INDEX


Classifieds .................... 20 Editorials & Letters .......... 6 Obituaries ...................... 18 Society ........................... 11 Sports ........................... 12 9 Days a Week............... 16 Recycle this paper


Avondale isn’t sold on residential key boxes


by Sara Clawson staff writer


emergency responders had a key to their residence, rather than enter by smashing windows or tearing down doors. During a May 21 work session of the


Some Avondale residents would prefer


Avondale City Council, Fire Chief Paul Adams outlined the pros and cons to a city-controlled residential emergency access key box program. City Manager Charlie McClendon said residents have approached the city to ask for a residential key box program. Avondale already requires commercial businesses to have key box systems installed. “The question is, ‘What’s in the box and why are they necessary?’” Adams said. “The big thing in both commercial and residential boxes are the keys for the door locks. For residential, it may also include a piece of paper with garage door codes, alarm silence


codes, if a resident has a particular medication, something of that nature.” The boxes are usually installed in a noticeable location on the house and are accessed by the fire department. A single key is used to access any key box, residential or commercial, within the city and the key is unique to Avondale, Adams said. The resident must alert the fire department that a lock box exists so that it can be entered into their system.


“In situations such as a medical emergency where the


occupant cannot get to the door, fire investigation or alarm


“In situations such as a medical emergency where the occupant cannot get to the door, fire investigation or alarm investigation will go to the home and it prevents damage by forced entry of the residence if we need to get in,” he said. Former councilwoman Betty Lynch attended the meeting and urged the City Council to offer


(See Key boxes on Page 2)


investigation will go to the home and it


prevents damage


by forced entry of the residence if we need to get in.”


— Paul Adams Avondale fire chief


WESTVIEW GRAD DEBUTS


View photo by Ray Thomas


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