New details released in deadly shooting behind Mesa home improvement store

MESA, AZ (AZFamily) — Court documents have revealed new details in the investigation of a deadly shooting that happened behind an East Valley home improvement store earlier this week.

Mario Montes, 27, is jailed in connection with the death of 40-year-old Blake Hurlbert, who was shot in the parking lot of a Home Depot store on Dobson Road near Rio Salado Parkway in Mesa around 11:30 a.m. on Monday.

According to court documents, Montes called 911 to report that he had shot someone he didn’t know who had ”blocked him and crossed in front of him.“ Montes reportedly said that as soon as the other man walked up to his car window, he ”just f***ing shot him.”

Mesa police responded and found Hurlbert lying on the ground, bleeding near his Ford F-150. He was taken to a hospital, where police say he died from three gunshot wounds to the abdomen.

Montes remained on the scene but reportedly refused to speak with police. Officers recovered a 9mm handgun from the floorboard of his car and three spent shell casings, but did not find any weapons in or near Hurlbert’s pickup truck.

Documents say one of the victim’s co-workers showed up to the scene, who explained to police that Hurlbert was the superintendent of a construction company working at a site next to the Home Depot store. The person was unaware of any problems Hurlbert had with anyone matching the suspect’s description.

Investigators reviewed surveillance video that showed Hurlbert’s truck pull into the area behind the Home Depot, followed by the Infiniti G35 being driven by Montes before both vehicles go out of view.

Detectives also obtained cellphone video from an employee of a nearby Walmart showing the aftermath of the shooting, as Hurlbert was sitting on the ground in distress, trying to pull himself up before collapsing on his back.

Police later arrested Montes for second-degree murder. Detectives are still working to determine what led up to the deadly altercation.

This is the second recent shooting involving a man accused of shooting and killing another driver. Earlier this month, 46-year-old Dustin Jackson was arrested for allegedly shooting 29-year-old Stevan Bevan following a road rage altercation along a Tempe roadway. Bevan was also not armed and Jackson was booked for first-degree murder.

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