Babeu, opponents spar on burned-bodies case

Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu on Thursday fired back at political opponents accusing him of trying to boost himself politically by linking a burned SUV containing five dead bodies in Vekol Valley to drug-cartel violence.

The burned vehicle now is being investigated as a murder-suicide involving a Tempe family whose father owned the vehicle.

Thursday afternoon, the Pima County medical examiner positively identified two of the five victims found in the charred SUV as James and Yafit Butwin, the husband and wife who are part of the murder-suicide investigation, according to an article on azcentral.com.

Dr. Gregory Hess said his office believed “the remaining three bodies are those of the children but they have not been positively identified yet.” He said his office is awaiting additional dental records.

Babeu is being criticized for making a premature determination the five bodies discovered Saturday in the desert were related to drug activity in the county.

On Thursday, Babeu said those claiming he said the crime was drug related so he could build political momentum are themselves seeking the political spotlight. He faces six opponents in his bid for reelection.

“Whatever the circumstances (surrounding the deaths), it is only 56 days to the start of early balloting and they are all trying to make a big issue out of this,” Babeu said.

“We never said conclusively that this was directly connected to drugs or human smuggling,” he said. “Given the circumstances and the nature of the crime, all indications pointed in that direction.”

But Jack McClaren, a San Tan Valley Republican with 18 years experience in law enforcement who is running for sheriff, said Babeu jumped to conclusions for political gain.

“I think his leadership is lacking in making those types of decisions,” McClaren said. “He should have waited until homicide detectives made their conclusions. That’s the most important thing to do, and that is what a tenured law enforcement officer should have done.”

The murder-suicide scenario surfaced two days after authorities discovered the bodies.

On Monday afternoon, Tempe police notified the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office they were investigating the disappearance of a family of five with a vehicle that fit the description of the Ford PCSO and Border Patrol found in the desert.

“We had sort of matched up what they had with what we had, but at the time we just weren’t sure,” said Tempe Police Sgt. Jeff Glover.

On Tuesday, Glover said PCSO identified the vehicle as belonging to the father, James C. Butwin, through a VIN number deputies likely found on the frame.

Butwin and his wife were going through a divorce and he was having financial problems, but there was no indication he was distraught to the point of killing himself and his family, according to The Arizona Republic.

Glover said the circumstances of the crime are atypical for a murder-suicide.

“I find it to be unusual and we have to look at it and wonder, ‘What is going through this person’s mind?’ It does make you wonder what is the intent or purpose.”

Tom Bearup is a Queen Creek resident and Republican candidate for sheriff who said he witnessed a protest Wednesday of Babeu’s handling of the investigation at the Pinal County Courthouse.

***ADVERTISEMENT***Bearup said when something strange happens in Vekol Valley, it’s not uncommon for people to suspect drug involvement. However, he said PCSO was overzealous in the way it put out the information.

“As investigators they need to have more information,” he said. “We have a situation with residents and Casa Grande that a drug cartel has killed five people so close to you. That is inflammatory and fear mongering. The sheriff should not have jumped the gun, and it has come back to bite him.”

Kevin Taylor, a Maricopa resident running as a Democrat, agreed.

“We have an investigation that was done prematurely without gathering all the facts,” he said. “It is my understanding the sheriff was given information from the Tempe police. The county sheriff overacted for TV time and publicity time.”

In a statement, Republican candidate and San Tan Valley resident Derek K. Arnson said, “Instead of waiting for the necessary information to come in regarding the horrific scene in the Vekol Valley area, Babeu chose to grandstand on evidence that had yet to be obtained.”

Tyrone Morgan, a Florence resident and the only Independent candidate for sheriff, said if Babeu didn’t have all the facts and circumstances, he made his announcement too soon.

“My concern is he could compromise the investigation by the Tempe police department,” Morgan said.

Glenn Millsaps, a Democratic candidate from Coolidge, said Babeu lacked discretion by linking the incident to cartel violence, and those errors in judgment have been an ongoing problem at the Sheriff’s Office.

“The first thing a leader should do is let the public know it was under investigation,” he said. “I just think there has to be a certain amount of discretion in law enforcement, and it’s not there.”

After becoming the first Republican ever elected to Pinal County sheriff in 2008, Babeu gained national fame for his tough stance on illegal drug and human trafficking across the Arizona-Mexico border.

On Saturday morning, authorities tracked a Ford Expedition into the desert off milepost 151 on Interstate 8 and found the smoldering vehicle with one dead body in the rear passenger seat and four others in the back storage compartment. Later that day, Babeu held a press conference at a gas station near the milepost and revealed some of the details of that morning’s grisly discovery and pointed to Vekol Valley’s background as a smuggling corridor.

Babeu said authorities found footprints and “sleepy feet,” slippers made from carpeting that smugglers use to hide their footprints, near the scene.

Bodies were not found in the driver’s seat or front passenger seat. Babeu said after the press conference that could be a clue indicating the driver left the vehicle.

When a vehicle fitting the description of the burned SUV was spotted by a Border Patrol officer at 4:30 a.m. Saturday, it fled when the officer tried to make contact.

Babeu said Thursday, “When somebody flees from law enforcement it is reasonable for us to believe they are linked (to drug trafficking)."

Investigators may never completely know what happened in the desert Saturday morning, he said.

“This is a very tragic crime,” Babeu said.