A man will serve two decades in prison after being convicted of shooting another resident of a Phoenix group home over two years ago.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell stated that Michael Lanunziata, 37, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the shooting death of Joseph Lephiew.
“This was not self-defense — it was a deadly and unjustified act of violence inside a place where people should have felt safe,” Mitchell said. “The defendant chose to bring a pistol into that home, escalating the fight and taking a life. Today’s [Monday’s] sentencing makes him accountable, but nothing can restore the damage done to the victim and everyone else affected by this atrocity.
On the night of January 25, 2024, a fatal shooting occurred in a home near 43rd Avenue and Encanto Boulevard. According to investigators, five males lived at the house, which was used for transitory housing. Lanunziata and Lephiew lived together for a year before to the shooting.
When officers arrived, Lanunziata allegedly emerged from the home through a second-story window and began communicating to them from the roof. Lanunziata claimed there was only one gun in the house, which was his.
Officers went inside and discovered Lephiew laying on the steps with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead on the spot, and authorities confirmed that he was unarmed.
Lanunziata’s revolver was discovered at the top of the stairs, along with several shot shells.
Police detained and questioned numerous persons inside the home, including Lanunziata. Lanunziata claimed Lephiew “came at him” and that the shooting was self-defense.
Other residents reported hearing the two guys arguing, followed by multiple gunshots. Authorities claim Lanunziata’s statements did not add up, and prosecutors ruled that the shooting was not self-defense.
Lanunziata was accused and convicted with second-degree murder.
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