An Arizona man has been charged with first-degree murder after police say he brutally beat his girlfriend to death inside their apartment shortly after the couple spent the evening playing Monopoly with neighbors.
According to an arrest affidavit, Kyle Collins, 37, is accused of killing Cierra Tellez, 36, a Mesa mother of two, with a metal cane shaft before allegedly calling 911 and falsely claiming he had returned home from work to discover her dead.
Investigators say surveillance footage, witness statements, and Collins’ own comments during police questioning contradict the story he initially gave officers.
Neighbors Say Nothing Seemed Unusual During Board Game
According to police, Collins and Tellez spent the evening before the killing playing Monopoly with several neighbors in the courtyard of their apartment complex.
Witnesses later told investigators that the couple appeared normal throughout the gathering.
The arrest affidavit states that neighbors did not observe any arguments, suspicious behavior, or visible injuries on Tellez while everyone was playing board games.
One neighbor later told AZ Family, “We were outside playing Monopoly. Everything was fine, nothing was off.”
Surveillance Captured Couple Returning Home
Detectives reviewed surveillance footage from the apartment complex after beginning the investigation.
According to police, the cameras showed Collins and Tellez entering their apartment together after the Monopoly game ended.
Investigators said Tellez was never seen leaving the apartment again.
Collins, however, was allegedly recorded leaving and returning to the apartment several times the following morning.
Police said one surveillance clip showed him wearing only camouflage shorts and no shirt while wiping his hands, arms, and chest with a towel before going back inside.
Woman Found Dead Inside Apartment
The investigation began on July 21, when Collins called 911 claiming he had returned home from work and found Tellez dead.
Officers responding to the apartment discovered Tellez’s body lying naked between a bed frame and a bedroom wall.
According to the affidavit, she had suffered extensive blunt-force injuries across her body, including numerous bruises and deep lacerations.
Investigators said one injury to her forehead was so severe that part of her skull was visible.
Police also found blood throughout the apartment.
A broken metallic cane shaft containing blood and hair was recovered at the scene, and investigators believe it was used during the fatal assault.
Police Say Collins’ Timeline Didn’t Match Evidence
During questioning, Collins told officers he left for work around 9 a.m., saying Tellez was alive and unharmed when he departed.
He claimed he drove Tellez’s gray 2015 Kia Optima to work before returning around 11 a.m., where he allegedly found the apartment door unlocked and discovered her body.
However, investigators said surveillance footage showed Collins never actually went to work.
Instead, police allege he remained at the apartment and was seen entering and leaving multiple times during the period he claimed to have been at work.
Investigators also contacted his employer, who reportedly said Collins’ mother had called to report that he would be taking a sick day.
According to police, Collins’ mother also told the employer that Collins had just learned his girlfriend had cheated on him and needed time to “clear his head.”
Collins Allegedly Claimed Girlfriend Confessed to Affair and Drug Use
According to investigators, Collins later admitted that Tellez told him earlier that morning she had cheated on him the previous week with another man.
Police said Collins also claimed Tellez admitted she had secretly been using fentanyl during their relationship, which had lasted more than a year.
The affidavit states Collins told detectives he had been sober and out of rehabilitation for more than two years and became angry after hearing the alleged confession.
According to police, Collins claimed Tellez told him she had been paying for drugs by performing sexual acts because he monitored their joint bank account and would have noticed missing money.
Neighbor Told Collins Was Angry
Investigators said Collins told them he went to a neighbor’s apartment around 7 a.m. and said he was angry because Tellez had cheated on him.
When detectives later asked what happened after he returned home, Collins allegedly admitted they argued.
According to the affidavit, Collins said Tellez’s confession “p—ed me off” and that they got into a fight.
When detectives asked whether the confrontation became physical, Collins initially denied assaulting her.
However, after further questioning, police say he responded, “That’s a lie, that is a lie.”
Suspect Allegedly Suggested Responsibility Before Requesting Lawyer
According to investigators, Collins later made several statements indicating he accepted responsibility for what had happened.
Police said he told detectives:
“So if I’m real with you that helps? I don’t know how to go about it. I already know I’m f—ed. Like I really am, I f—ed up, it’s my fault.”
When detectives asked him to explain those remarks, Collins requested an attorney.
Before ending the interview, investigators said he added:
“I should stop having you guys waste your time and abilities, it’s my fault.”
Murder and Kidnapping Charges Filed
Collins was arrested and booked on charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping.
According to the arrest affidavit, while being processed into jail, staff asked Collins whether he planned to harm himself or anyone else.
Police said he replied, “Yeah, both,” before adding that he had already hurt someone and then saying he was “just playin.”
Prosecutors Call Killing Brutal
During Collins’ initial court appearance, prosecutors reportedly told the court that he has a history of domestic violence.
According to AZ Family, prosecutors described the killing as an extremely violent crime.
“This was a very brutal and horrific murder,” a prosecutor said, adding that authorities believe Collins is a dangerous individual.
The criminal case remains pending as investigators continue to examine the evidence surrounding Tellez’s death.
