Police say tattoo artist fatally shot, wife injured during drug deal gone bad

A woman injured in a northwest valley shooting that killed her husband, a local tattoo artist, told detectives that it was the result of a “drug deal gone bad,” according to a police report.

Miles Spivey, 18, and Daequan McGee face murder, robbery, and child-abuse-related charges in connection with a March 30 shooting in which they are accused of luring Deven Mays and Brianna Benevedes, to an apartment complex near West Ann Road and Interstate 11 for an illegal marijuana sale.

Mays had agreed through Instagram messages to meet Spivey near the pool area and sell him a quarter pound of marijuana, according to Spivey’s arrest report. Benevedes and the couple’s 3-year-old son, Asher, were in the car with Mays. Spivey entered the vehicle when they arrived.

According to the detectives’ interview with Benevedes, Spivey asked for the drugs before immediately pointing a gun at the woman.

Another man also approached the car, pointing a gun inside, police said.

“Witnesses in the area heard a male saying, ‘Give all of that,’” police said. “Deven yelled, ‘They have firearms,’ and put the car in drive.”

The report said that Mays attempted to drive off, and multiple gunshots were fired into the vehicle, striking Mays in the chest, Benevedes in the leg, and just missing Asher’s car seat. Spivey jumped out of the vehicle, fleeing with McGee toward the back of the complex, according to the report.

Benevedes told police that after the shots were fired, Mays said, “I love you guys, but I was shot.”

She called 911, and when officers arrived, medical personnel pronounced Mays dead. Benevedes was taken to a local hospital.

Friends of Mays, a father of six, said that he was a tattoo artist who owned Last Vanguard Tattoos.

In the report, Benevedes told police that Mays was not a drug dealer and only sold marijuana to people he knew.

The wife said that Spivey had been referred to Mays previously for a tattoo, according to police.

Days after the shooting, Spivey’s attorney called police saying that Spivey had agreed to turn himself in, police said. Detectives noted in the report that when they arrested Spivey, he was wearing the same shoes he was captured on surveillance footage wearing during the shooting.

A relative had identified McGee using still photos from the same surveillance footage provided by the apartment complex. Court records show that, as of Wednesday afternoon, there was an active warrant for McGee’s arrest.

Police said he had been on juvenile parole since September for an armed carjacking in which Spivey was a codefendant.

In an online fundraiser posted after Mays’ death, his cousin Marcus Steffen said that Benevedes was facing every parent’s worst nightmare.

“(She is) grieving the love of her life while trying to stay strong for the children who are also navigating this unimaginable loss,” Steffen said. “This tragedy has left a family shattered—emotionally and financially.”