Kyle Collins charged with murder after girlfriend found dead

Arizona resident Kyle Collins faces first-degree murder and kidnapping charges after reporting his girlfriend dead at their shared home in downtown Mesa on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. Emergency service responders and Mesa Police Department officers arrived at the apartment complex shortly after 11:00 a.m. local time following a report of a medical emergency.

Local news outlets ABC 15, Fox 10, and AZ Family reported that Collins, 37, called emergency dispatchers claiming he had returned home to find his girlfriend unresponsive. Collins stated that he attempted to perform CPR on the victim, who was later identified by authorities as 36-year-old Cierra Tellez. First responders arriving at the scene discovered Tellez dead inside the property with significant injuries.

Police established that Collins and Tellez lived together in the apartment and were in a relationship. Following a preliminary investigation into the incident, law enforcement authorities determined there was probable cause to arrest Collins, taking him into custody on Friday. During his initial court appearance, a prosecutor described the incident as a brutal and horrific murder, stating that authorities believe Collins represents a dangerous individual.

A neighbour who lived near the couple told reporters that he played a board game with Collins the evening before the incident and noticed nothing unusual. The neighbour stated that Collins appeared extremely upset the following morning, knocking on his door to report he had argued with Tellez before speaking on the phone with his mother for an hour.

The neighbour added that Collins subsequently claimed he was leaving for work. Prosecutors noted during court proceedings that the employer of Collins stated he failed to show up for work that day. Collins is currently being held on a bond of $1,250,500 while the police investigation into the death remains ongoing.