Two men died on Saturday, May 9, 2026, in what Yuma Police have classified as a murder suicide. The sequence began around 7:45 p.m. when officers received a report of an aggravated assault with a gun in the 300 block of South 13th Avenue, near Carver Park in the area of 3rd Street and 13th Avenue.
Responding officers found 67-year-old Alvin Nelson unresponsive under a gazebo. They administered life-saving measures and transported him to Onvida Health, where he later died from his injuries.
Investigators identified 55-year-old Richard Carter as the person who shot Nelson. Carter fled the scene in a vehicle immediately after the shooting. Approximately ten minutes later, at 7:57 p.m., police received a separate call about an attempted suicide approximately two miles away in the 1800 block of 5th Avenue, near 18th Street and 5th Avenue. Officers arrived and found Carter suffering from serious self-inflicted injuries. He was also taken to Onvida Health, where he died from his wounds.
The two incidents were quickly linked. Authorities determined that Carter shot Nelson at Carver Park and then drove to a different location before turning the weapon on himself. Both men were residents of Yuma. No other victims were involved, and police reported no ongoing threat to the broader public following the two incidents.
Carver Park is located near the Sanguinetti Athletic Complex and is typically used by residents for recreation. The area includes a gazebo, walking paths, and open grass fields. Neighbors reported hearing what sounded like a single gunshot around 7:45 p.m. and then seeing police vehicles arrive within minutes. The subsequent call about an attempted suicide came from a residential area roughly two miles away.
Yuma Police have classified the case as a homicide and suicide under case numbers 2026-32836 and 2026-32840. Investigators have not released details about any prior relationship between Nelson and Carter. The motive for the shooting remains unclear. The investigation is active, and detectives continue to interview witnesses and review evidence collected from both scenes.
The Yuma Police Department has asked the community to keep the affected families in their thoughts. Anyone with additional information about the events leading up to the shooting is encouraged to contact authorities. No further details have been released, including whether a weapon was recovered at both locations or whether Carter had a known history of violence.
