Tempe man suspected of killing Arizona couple shot dead after shooting Missouri trooper

Francis Alcantar-Chavez, 23, was shot dead by a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper on June 17 after he shot and wounded the officer during a pursuit. Alcantar-Chavez was wanted for the murders of his mother, Cynthia Templeton, 53, and stepfather, Troy Templeton, 62, whose bodies were discovered in their Arizona home on June 15. The trooper, who was wearing a bullet-resistant vest, sustained minor injuries and is expected to recover fully. Following the double homicide, police issued a nationwide stop and hold for Alcantar-Chavez. Family members reported he had been living with the Templetons and was believed to be traveling to Florida.

The incident unfolded in Sweet Springs, Missouri, approximately 65 miles east of St. Louis. Local police stated that the motive behind the homicides is still under investigation. The Templetons were members of the Arizona Rangers, a civilian auxiliary to law enforcement.