Gunman suspected of killing 6 people connected to divorce committed final two murders hours before suicide

An Arizona gunman who fatally shot six people in a killing spree related to his divorce executed his final two victims just hours before his suicide.

It was the current husband of the suspect's ex-wife who tipped off cops after making the connection between the divorce and the crime scenes. Dwight Jones was cornered by authorities before killing himself Monday morning in Scottsdale.

Investigators believe Jones fatally shot victims No. 5 and No. 6 earlier in the morning. Bryon Thomas, 72, and 70-year-old Mary Simmons were found dead in a home in nearby Fountain Hills, according to local reports.

Jones is also suspected of killing well-known forensic psychiatrist Dr. Steven Pitt, paralegals Veleria Sharp and Laura Anderson and counselor Marshall Levine.

"Personally, I have feared for my safety for the past nine years," Jones' former wife Connie Jones said. "I cannot express the emotions I feel for the innocent families touched by this senseless violence."

She credits her current husband, a retired police detective, with helping to catch her ex, whom she calls a a "very emotionally disturbed person."

The slayings began Thursday with the shooting of Dr. Pitt, who had evaluated Jones and testified in 2010 that the suspect had symptoms of a paranoid personality. Sharp and Anderson were killed Friday, but cops believe Jones was targeting a lawyer who was not present.

The 72-year-old Levine, found shot to death after midnight Saturday, appears to have been mistaken for someone else who once occupied the same office. The space had been used by a counselor who saw Jones' son as part of the divorce.

Connie Jones said she notified police of her husband's suspicion on Saturday night.

Dwight Jones was arrested in 2009 at their Scottsdale home on a domestic violence charge after his wife said he backed her against a wall, hit her in the face and threatened to kill her. The arrest was cited by Connie Jones when she filed for divorce.

Connie Jones would be granted sole custody of their now 21-year-old son.

Police did not speculate why Dwight Jones tracked down the victims so long after the split. Authorities say he had been living in extended-stay hotels for the past nine years.

He had posted disturbing YouTube videos about the divorce and custody case, but they have been removed.

With News Wire Services

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