Glendale police arrested a 41-year-old man after a late-night confrontation outside a neighborhood corner market left one man dead and another injured, authorities said.
Incident near Bethany Home Road and 60th Avenue
Shortly after midnight on Sept. 19, emergency crews responded to reports of a stabbing outside the Easy Stop Corner Market near 60th Avenue and Bethany Home Road, according to police. Responders found a man on the ground “bleeding heavily,” and he was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died.
Police identified the deceased as 51-year-old Concepcion Palma Meza. A second man, also 41, was stabbed and survived, officials said.
Surveillance, witness accounts and arrest
Investigators reviewed surveillance footage from the scene and say it showed a primary suspect, later identified as Joseph Daniel Deltoro, 41, approach and speak with one of the victims. Police say Deltoro briefly left, returned armed with a knife and stabbed two men during an altercation.
- Witnesses reported an argument among five men that began over beer and cigarettes taken from one of them inside the store.
- Video allegedly shows Deltoro stabbing a running victim in the back, then stabbing Palma Meza across the chest as Palma Meza watched.
- After the stabbings, Deltoro fled in one direction while two others ran the opposite way, police said.
Police say the surviving victim identified Deltoro while hospitalized. Authorities used the surveillance footage with a facial recognition program to identify Deltoro as the main suspect and took him into custody, according to court paperwork and police statements.
“Palma Meza was not in a fighting stance when stabbed,” officials said in court documents.
Context and investigative details
Court records released by investigators indicate officers found connections between Deltoro and previous police contacts in the neighborhood near the market. Jail photographs from a Sept. 9, 2024, arrest for disorderly conduct, police say, showed tattoos that matched those visible on the suspect in surveillance footage. Records also link Deltoro to an address several streets north of the scene where family members live and where police had previous contacts, including in April 2025.
Witnesses told officers the dispute escalated from an argument over items taken at the liquor store and that the men briefly fought before the stabbings. Police said one of the victims had allegedly splashed alcohol in Deltoro’s face and pushed him, prompting an altercation.
Local impact and next steps
The attack occurred in a commercial stretch frequented by nearby residents. The fatality and the use of a facial recognition program to identify a suspect raise questions about public safety and policing tactics among neighbors and local businesses.
| Victim | Age | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Concepcion Palma Meza | 51 | Died of injuries |
| Unnamed male victim | 41 | Survived; hospitalized |
| Suspect | Joseph Daniel Deltoro, 41 | Arrested |
Glendale police continue to investigate. Authorities have drawn on surveillance video, witness statements and previous booking photographs to develop the case, according to court paperwork released by investigators. As of the latest reports, formal charges and court dates have not been detailed publicly beyond the arrest.
Neighbors and business owners near Bethany Home Road and 60th Avenue told investigators there have been multiple police contacts in the area in prior years. The case is expected to move through the Maricopa County court system as detectives finalize their investigation and prosecutors determine formal charges.
Anyone with additional information about the incident was asked to contact Glendale police. Updates will be provided as the investigation and any subsequent court proceedings proceed.
