The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office has been investigating the disappearance of Chad Holvig and his son, Dalton, who went missing in the Phoenix area last month. The investigation led to a grim discovery in a Phoenix suburb, revealing a complex case involving multiple suspects and tragic outcomes.
Chad and Dalton Holvig. Source: azfamily.com
Discovery of Dalton Holvig and Two Deceased Individuals
According to an update by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Chad Holvig’s 25-year-old son Dalton was found with gunshot wounds in a rental property in a Phoenix suburb about 18 miles from Arizona's capitol. Detectives searching the property also discovered two dead bodies.
Two other people present at the home were arrested for charges unrelated to the discovery of the bodies. Authorities did not specify the identities or charges those individuals are facing.
The Search for Chad Holvig
Authorities are still on the lookout for Chad, who was not at the home during the search. “The investigation is in an aggressive and fluid state” with further updates to come, authorities said.
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Chad, 51, traveled about 30 miles from Tonopah, Arizona to Goodyear, a West Phoenix suburb, to visit Dalton on July 4, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Chad's family reported him missing a week later.
Chad had not communicated with his family since July 6, which was unusual behavior, authorities said. Chad was last seen driving a 1999 black Dodge Durango.
Murder Investigation and Charges Filed
Maricopa County has opened a murder investigation, and two people have been criminally charged related to the case.
On July 11, the family of Chad Holvig reported him missing. His son, Dalton Holvig, was last heard from on July 17 and also presumed missing.
Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone said his office obtained and executed a search warrant on a home in Goodyear on Aug. 4, led by the office's Tactical Operations Unit, acting on information provided by the family.
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The home was owned by Roberto and Christina Bernal, whom the sheriff said were known acquaintances of the Holvigs. The search resulted in the discovery of Dalton Holvig, still alive but suffering from gunshot wounds to his lower extremities that he had suffered weeks before his discovery on the property.
Penzone said Dalton did not appear to have received any medical care and was immediately taken to the hospital for treatment.
The Sheriff's Office also found two bodies on the property, who have been identified as Chad Holvig and 31-year-old Anthony Vayne. According to the county medical examiner, Vayne died of a gunshot wound. Holvig's cause of death is still under investigation.
The sheriff said Vayne's connection to the property and the Bernals had not yet been determined, and it was unclear how long his body had been at the property.
Sheriff Penzone said Roberto Bernal was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a weapon by a prohibited possessor. He said Roberto Bernal is accused of shooting Dalton. Christina Bernal was charged with possession of a weapon by a prohibited possessor.
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Penzone said the Maricopa County Attorney's Office additionally charged both Bernals with kidnapping. Penzone said no charges have yet been filed regarding the death of Vayne.
Court documents state Roberto accused Chad of stealing tools before the shooting. Deputies also reportedly recovered “multiple weapons and other potential evidence.”
In an interview with deputies, Christina claimed Dalton got hurt in a motorcycle accident, investigators said. She also admitted she was a convicted felon and owned a gun inside the home. Roberto claimed he didn’t own any guns, but knew Dalton had been shot, police said. Investigators say Dalton lived at the home with the Bernals.
During a search of the home, authorities found a shotgun, multiple handguns and an AR-15. The couple was booked on various weapons-related charges. Roberto was also booked for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Penzone said on Wednesday that kidnapping charges were added for both suspects.
Christina has prior convictions of marijuana possession, shoplifting and theft, while Roberto has been convicted of kidnapping, armed robbery and aggravated assault.
Investigators are still trying to learn how Vayne is connected to the case.
MCSO: Missing 51-year-old Chad Holvig found dead along with second person
Penzone said on Wednesday afternoon that the Office of the Medical Examiner positively identified 51-year-old Chad Stuart Holvig as one of two bodies found at a home where Holvig’s son, 25-year-old Dalton Holvig, was also found shot.
Chad reportedly left his home in Tonopah on July 4 to visit his son in Goodyear. Family members lost contact with the father two days later and reported him missing. They called his disappearance unusual, saying he left his dogs and other personal belongings behind. Days later, Dalton was reported missing on July 11.
On Aug. 4, Maricopa County sheriff’s deputies searched a home near Goodyear and found Dalton alive, but he was shot three times “in his lower extremities.”
Dalton claimed he was being held against his will by 40-year-old Roberto Bernal and said he was shot around July 9, court documents state. Investigators say Dalton told police Roberto was walking behind him when he fired two shots, hitting him in the leg. He then reportedly said Roberto shot him a third time before he went unconscious.
For nearly a month after the shooting, Dalton said he was zip tied and not allowed to leave the home, court paperwork states. Dalton remains in the hospital.
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. Source: 12news.com
“There is a strong possibility that both of these victims were on the property for an extended period of time. It’s extremely difficult to determine the time of death. There’s a high probability that other people were on the property and might have some information on who was responsible for these deaths, and if both of them are homicides. We know that one is, if both are homicides,” said Penzone.
Roberto Bernal has previously been convicted of kidnapping, armed robbery and aggravated assault.
“This is an environment, and this is a circumstance where it is indicative of what happens when people utilize drugs and are comfortable with violence and taking lives and then leaving deceased bodies on the property,” said Penzone.
Anyone with information on the investigation is asked to contact the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS (480-948-6377).
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