SEDONA, Ariz., Jan. 11 (UPI) -- Authorities in Arizona say they may never know why Drew Maras, who died in a shootout after killing a deputy, shot and killed a New Hampshire couple.
A motive had yet to be found for the killings of James Johnson and Carol Raynsford, the pair of 63-year-old New Hampshire residents killed outside of Sedona, Ariz., Jan. 6.
Police say two days after the Sedona shooting, Maras, 30, fired on the first police officer he encountered, who happened to be Maricopa County Sheriff's Deputy William Coleman. Coleman was fatally wounded and Maras died in the ensuing shootout with other deputies.
On Tuesday, Yavapai County Sheriff Scott Mascher announced that tests connected the rifle used to kill Coleman to the killings of Johnson and Raynsford.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said there was no question why Maras opened fire on Coleman.
"When someone comes out firing, you have to feel that they have something to hide. He sure did have something to hide," he told The Arizona Republic. "He saw a law-enforcement officer ready to check him out -- if they could connect him with that shooting two days earlier, that's probably why he came out firing."
