A grand jury indicted Dulance Morin for negligent homicide in the Mesa shooting death of Maria Lewis.

Negligent homicide is not a murder charge. It accuses a person of causing a death by criminal negligence. KTAR reported that is the single felony a Maricopa County grand jury returned on Sept. 10. On Monday the Attorney General's Office said Morin stays employed unless he is convicted, and that Kris Mayes believes he will be found not guilty. That is the office's position. FOX 10 quoted a lawyer who said calling the shot an accident cuts against self-defense, because self-defense is an intentional act. That is a comment on the defense problem. It is not a ruling.

FOX 10 Phoenix, ABC15, Arizona's Family, and KTAR reported Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, that Dulance Morin, 47, was indicted on one count of negligent homicide in the death of Maria Lewis, 32. KTAR, citing court records, reported a Maricopa County grand jury returned the indictment on Sept. 10 and that the count accuses him of causing her death through criminal negligence. KTAR reported that because a gun was involved, a conviction would carry a longer sentence. ABC15 and KTAR spell his first name Dulance. FOX 10 spells it DuLance and describes him as a special agent. The outlets are describing the same investigator and the same neighbor. He has worked at the Attorney General's Office since 2016. A negligent-homicide indictment is the accusation. It is not a verdict, and it is not a murder filing.

The shooting was Feb. 28, 2026, in a Mesa neighborhood near Ellsworth and Ray roads. FOX 10 placed it near Ray Road and Inspirian Parkway. Arizona's Family reported Mesa police found Lewis shot to death outside a home about 2:45 a.m., with her body near the front door of Morin's house. Arizona's Family, describing records, reported that Lewis had come home after DoorDash deliveries, argued with her husband, and left. The husband told police she smelled of alcohol. Morin's wife called 911 after banging woke the house. The same account says Morin dressed, took his gun to the door, yelled that he had a gun and would shoot if someone came in, and told her to leave, and that Lewis yelled back that she was armed. He told investigators he did not remember the door opening or pulling the trigger. FOX 10 reported he admitted the shot came from his hand and called it an accident. Arizona's Family reported officers found him on his knees on the porch, hands up, crying, and that one casing was at the scene. Those are the documents as the stations described them. They are not findings.

Mesa police recommended a negligent-homicide charge in March after search warrants, interviews, and forensic work, Arizona's Family and ABC15 reported. The Attorney General's Office disputed that recommendation. Arizona's Family reported documents in which the office said the evidence it reviewed does not support negligent homicide, particularly read with self-defense statutes. ABC15 reported the first submission was sent back to Mesa police to be filed again. FOX 10 quoted attorney Joshua Kolsrud, speaking as a commentator, that an accidental shot is the opposite of the intentional act self-defense requires. On Monday the Attorney General's Office said Morin "remains employed in an administrative position" and will keep it "unless he is convicted in a court of law," and that Attorney General Kris Mayes "believes Mr. Morin is not guilty of this charge and will be found not guilty." FOX 10 reported court records that put a possible trial in March. Lewis was a mother of seven. Her family told ABC15 on Monday that they are working with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office and will not discuss the facts while the case is open. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.