PHOENIX, AZ – A man with a troubled past of defrauding individuals is now facing a more grievous accusation after allegedly resorting to violence. Authorities recently extradited Derek Bollwinkel to Arizona, where he stands accused of murdering his former neighbor, Linda Baran, aged 82.

Baran’s tragic death occurred on February 11, as revealed in court documents. She was found in her vehicle, parked in her garage, having suffered a fatal gunshot wound while seemingly surrendering, her hands raised in the air. Investigators pieced together a timeline that suggests Bollwinkel had been seeking money from Baran, who, until recently, was his neighbor in a Phoenix suburb.

Bollwinkel’s abrupt departure from Arizona followed his eviction from his residence next to Baran’s.

According to police reports, Baran vanished on February 9. Witnesses later identified Bollwinkel at Baran’s property on the last day she was seen alive, observing his vehicle in close proximity to the scene.

The grim discovery of Baran’s body was made after concerned relatives called for a welfare check. Inside her garage lay her car with Baran lifeless within it. Authorities concluded foul play due to the positioning of her body and the entry point of the gunshot wound.

One witness reported seeing Bollwinkel arrive near Baran’s home early in the evening, only to later be seen fleeing the area hurriedly. Investigators corroborated the timeline using cellphone data, which placed Bollwinkel at the crime scene during the time of the murder.

In the aftermath of the crime, Bollwinkel allegedly attempted to use Baran’s debit card, successfully obtaining $4,000 from an ATM shortly after the murder. His arrest followed his extradition from Salt Lake City, Utah, back to Arizona.

Bollwinkel’s past criminal activities include a conviction for a housing scam where he and his wife defrauded consumers, resulting in a lawsuit and subsequent prison time for forgery and impersonation. His arrest at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport led to his being booked into Maricopa County Jail, with charges including first-degree murder, kidnapping, and fraudulent use of a credit card. He remains held on a $1 million bond pending further legal proceedings.