PHOENIX — The family of a woman whose body was found after a first date is calling for the death penalty of the man suspected of killing her.
A body that investigators believed to be Arianna Jones was found in a shallow grave in the desert on July 11. Glendale police arrested Domonic Rodolico that same day; Jones was on a date with him when she was last seen on July 5.
Brooke Gaunt, a prosecutor with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office, said during Rodolico's July 12 court appearance that Jones' death was premeditated. Evidence showed that Rodolico went to the location where Jones' body was found at least twice prior to her death, Gaunt said.
A tattoo found on the body matched a tattoo Jones had, according to Gaunt.
"This was just a very premeditated and horrific homicide," Gaunt said.
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The Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office was still determining the manner and cause of death, as of July 16.
The state requested Rodolico be held on a $2 million cash-only bond. Maricopa County Superior Court Commissioner John Aragon upheld the state's recommendation. If Rodolico is to be released, he would be on house arrest with electronic monitoring, Aragon said. Rodolico remained in jail.
Rodolico spoke only to confirm he could obtain his own lawyer, as opposed to a public defender, as seen in video of the court appearance.
Police find body using cell phone data, surveillance footage
Police were alerted about Jones' disappearance on July 7 after her mother visited her apartment when Jones had stopped responding to text messages, according to court documents.
Responding officers noticed the front door of Jones’ apartment had a broken frame and found a dog in its kennel with no food or water surrounded by its own waste, documents said.
Using cell phone data and surveillance footage, police were led to Rodolico. Text messages between the two showed that they went on a date at a nearby Harkins theater but didn't appear to have met in person prior, police said.
Police went to a remote area where both Rodolico and Jones' cell phones had been, according to court documents. Officers eventually found a decomposing body buried in a shallow grave along with two Harkins souvenir cups, concrete mix bags, latex gloves and other pieces of evidence, documents said.
On social media, Callista Holman, who said she shared mutual friends with Jones, shared a Change.org petition she started calling for Rodolico to receive the death penalty if he is convicted of first-degree murder.
"I think, if I had swiped right and went out with him, that could have been me, but really, it could have been any one of us women. It could have been your own daughter or friend," Holman said on the petition page.
The petition aimed to get 500 total signatures, as of July 16.
Jones' mother, Sophia Sardinas, shared the petition on Facebook.
"As I do too believe in second chances but the way he cold heartedly murdered my daughter and took her away from us, especially from her 2 year old son, there’s no way he should be allowed to live," Sardinas wrote.
A GoFundMe page was started by family friend Angelica Gonzales to cover Jones' funeral expenses, as well as funds for her 2-year-old son.
"While nothing can replace the love, guidance, and comfort Arianna would have given him, your generosity can help provide him with a foundation as he begins this difficult journey," Gonzales wrote.
