The Nov. 22 murder of a 16-year-old boy happened during an armed robbery in the Maricopa Meadows and is believed to be connected to drug trafficking, according to Pinal County Superior Court records released today to InMaricopa. 

Isaiah Bandin, 15, is charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery in connection with the slaying of Esteban Valenzuela. There is reason to believe the two boys may have been familially related. 

Bandin was arraigned before a Pinal County Superior Court judge early this morning after he was advised in juvenile court to plead not guilty to the class-one felony charges, court records show. 

Bandin had made an initial appearance before Juvenile Judge Roger Valdez Nov. 28 in Pinal County Juvenile Detention Court.  

The new documents reveal that Bandin was armed while robbing a victim, Sergio Michael Munoz, 16, “using threats or force against” him before the weapon was discharged. 

Bandin is being held in the Pinal County Youth Justice Detention Center on a $1 million cash bond. He was indicted on the charges in the superior court Dec. 9.

The murder suspect was investigated for drug trafficking 

On the night of the killing, vape boxes littered the ground on Dancer Lane, where two people with knowledge of the case said they believed a drug deal had turned sour. A search warrant released to InMaricopa shows that investigators were seeking “vape pens, cartridges, batteries, boxes, vape containers and anything related.” 

The investigators were also looking for “drug-related monies,” they said in one of the court documents, noting that “when drug traffickers amass proceeds from drug sales, drug traffickers attempt to legitimize those profits, hide and launder drug money.” 

Bandin was one of the two children arrested Nov. 27 during a SWAT-assisted execution of that search warrant and a “high-risk” traffic stop at the Sonoran Creek Marketplace. The other arrestee was a 15-year-old girl, believed to be his girlfriend.  

The SWAT team had searched a Roth Drive home in The Villages, which was being rented by members of Bandin’s family, several of whom have lengthy criminal records. One relative, a 35-year-old woman confirmed to live at the house, is the defendant in six active creditor’s lawsuits in Western Pinal Justice Court. Prosecutors have yet to speculate about the financial motives behind the armed robbery. 

Bandin on social media had indicated that he lived in Ak-Chin Village. 

Maricopa Police Department arrested a third child, a 16-year-old boy, Dec. 4 in connection with the murder case. Those charges have not been publicized. 

Growing up in a hurry 

Police on Nov. 22 had responded to the 45000 block of Dirk Street in the Maricopa Meadows just before 7:15 p.m., where they found the shot teen Valenzuela and transported him to a local hospital, where he died. 

A police statement released Nov. 28 said the authorities believed the fatal shooting “involved a group of juveniles and young adults.”   

Bandin, in his social media posts and profiles, frequently bragged about and documented his illegal activity — drinking vodka and whiskey, smoking joints and cannabis vapes on the roof of the Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino parking garage tower. 

Ak-Chin teens on Monday were posting “free bandini,” Bandin’s nickname, and the hashtag #freemybrother on Instagram. 

Pinal County Deputy Attorney Jason Johanes is prosecuting the case in Pinal County Superior Court, where Bandin is now being charged as an adult. Born in late 2009, he becomes the youngest person from Maricopa to face murder charges. Children younger than 15 cannot be tried as adults for any crime in Arizona. 

Bandin faces life in prison, but not the death penalty, because of his age. 

Maricopa Police Department spokesperson Monica Williams had no further comment on the Bandin proceedings, saying there was still “an active investigation.” She indicated other people could still be charged in the case. 

Elias Weiss contributed reporting.