On March 4, 2018, 23-year-old Achyut Nair, who is on active probation, and 27-year-old David Leya, were arrested for several charges including Vehicle Theft, Theft of Property from Motor Vehicle, and Theft.
Earlier in the evening of March 3, the suspects befriended a 42-year-old female victim they met at a club on Whiskey Row in Prescott. They later returned to a Prescott area home for a party with the victim and others. After a brief period of time, the suspects entered an area of the home where the victim and friends stored personal property. The suspects stole purses containing credit and debit cards, cash, driver’s licenses, cell phones and 2 handguns. They took keys from the victim’s purse and also stole her car, a 2013 blue Subaru sedan. The victim discovered the theft after realizing both suspects had not been seen for a while at the party.
Prior to meeting with the victim and her friends at the Prescott home, the suspects purchased food from a local fast food restaurant shortly after 2 AM. The victim was also in attendance. Deputies eventually located the correct restaurant and were able to verify a transaction by one of the suspect’s based on the victim’s description of the food ordered. The food had been purchased by suspect Leya. The victim also recalled that both suspects claimed they were currently enrolled at the Embry Riddle Aeronautical School in Prescott. Embry Riddle security was contacted and verified their enrollment at the school. Both suspects could not be located on the campus at that time.
When driver’s license photos of each suspect were shown to the victim, she positively identified both Nair and Leya.
On March 4, 2018, in the late afternoon, deputies searched Prescott and vicinity for the stolen vehicle and suspects. While the lead investigating deputy was servicing his car at the County facility on Commerce Drive in Prescott, he noticed a blue Subaru sedan parked in the lot of Pioneer Park. He drove over to the vehicle and confirmed it was the victim’s stolen car. Some of the personal property was found in the vehicle, but the 2 stolen handguns were still missing. Deputies checked the adjoining property around the parking lot, and recovered additional stolen items but not the handguns. It was imperative to locate the firearms quickly.
Deputies returned to the school campus and found suspect Nair in his dorm room. Nair initially denied any involvement in this incident. After he was arrested, Nair admitted to the theft of the victim’s vehicle, personal property and handguns. Leya was also found in his dorm room and arrested while denying any participation. It appeared the suspects had driven the victim’s car to Las Vegas overnight.
As the investigation remained active, deputies learned the firearms had been stashed in a remote area of Mingus Mountain. Assisting deputies checked the location aided by a friend of the suspects who was aware of where the guns had been stashed. Both handguns and additional personal property were recovered near a Mingus Mountain forest road.
Nair was released on a $10,000 bond. Leya was released on a promise to appear.