PHOENIX — Police uncovered evidence that blood was cleaned up in a Phoenix home where a mother says her toddler shot and killed his 9-year-old brother, leading to new murder accusations against the parents, according to court documents released Wednesday.
The records also said Kansas Lavarnia, an ex-convict, had a crudely bandaged gunshot wound on his upper arm that looked to have been punctured multiple times, possibly with a screwdriver, to camouflage the injury.
The developments call into question the account of Wendy Lavarnia, who told police that her 2-year-old son picked up her gun and shot the older boy after she had previously let the toddler practice pulling the trigger when it wasn't loaded.
An updated probable-cause statement repeated the mother's account but didn't provide new details on Monday's shooting. Documents did not say if the couple had attorneys who could speak on their behalf.
"The visual lack of blood, the extent of occulted blood residue, and the lack of soiled and bloody clean up materials implies that a significant amount of time and effort was taken prior to contacting emergency services," the statement said.
"The amount of clean up evidences could not have been accomplished during the two-minute police response time, and police secured the home after their arrival preventing any subsequent clean up," the document says.
The father, Kansas Lavarnia, is accused of first-degree murder, child abuse and hindering prosecution, while Wendy Larvarnia is accused of first-degree murder, court documents said.
Prosecutors had not filed criminal charges, said Amanda Jacinto, a spokeswoman for the Maricopa County attorney's office. Judges ordered both held in lieu of $1 million bond each.