Phoenix Man Sentenced to Life for Deadly Stabbing

Life Sentence Issued in Phoenix Homicide Case

Miguel Preciado, 39, received a life sentence on November 14 for the December 27, 2024, killing of 35-year-old Ethan Jaaziel Felix in Phoenix. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office confirmed the sentence as part of a plea agreement.

Incident Details Released by Detectives

According to charging documents, the incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. when Preciado intentionally struck Felix while reversing his vehicle. The impact pinned Felix’s lower body between the two vehicles. Documents state that Preciado then picked up a screwdriver from the ground and stabbed Felix multiple times before fleeing the scene.

Police found Felix seriously injured and transported him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead an hour later. Detectives determined that Felix’s death was intentional after reviewing surveillance video and analyzing the timing of Preciado’s vehicle movements.

Investigation and Arrest

Investigators located Preciado’s vehicle on December 30 in the desert south of Saguaro National Park near Tucson. Court records show that when authorities found him, Preciado admitted involvement in a homicide in Phoenix. He later told police he “did not want to believe he stabbed the victim.”

Preciado was booked on January 1, 2025. Charging documents state he told investigators he had been hearing voices for about 10 months before the killing. The documents also indicate that Preciado and Felix did not know each other, though they lived in the same building near 16th Street and Thomas Road.

The case and sentencing conclude a detailed investigation into the deadly December 2024 stabbing in Phoenix, Arizona, United States.