Sheriff rushed judgment, critics say

TEMPE, Ariz., June 6 (UPI) -- A county sheriff is under fire for blaming a suspected murder-suicide incident on drug cartels after a burned-out car was found near Phoenix, critics say.

Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu was quick to blame Mexican drug cartels after five bodies were found last week in a vehicle that had been set ablaze in the remote Vekol Valley, 35 miles south of Phoenix, a prominent drug- and immigrant-smuggling corridor, The Arizona Republic said Wednesday.

His Facebook comments included a politically charged swipe at Homeland Security Chief Janet Napolitano, reading: "All information is pointing that this is connected to the violent drug cartel smuggling in this high smuggling area. The border is NOT more secure than ever Ms. Napolitano!"

Tempe Sgt. Jeff Glover told a Tuesday press conference the incident involved five members of a local family in a suspected murder-suicide, knocking down Babeu's theory.

The newspaper said as late as Tuesday afternoon, Babeu's office continued to issue a press release saying homicide detectives were continuing to pursue the drug smuggling connection, not mentioning the family until the end of the two-page release.

Former chief executive to the Maricopa County sheriff and candidate for sheriff Tom Bearup said Babeu should have waited until facts were confirmed, pointing out Babeu's security-hawk reputation and saying, "Just like all the other things Paul does, he wants to capture attention, and his way of getting out in the public is by glamorizing or saying how wicked everything is that's happening in the area."