MESA, AZ (CBS5) -
The owner of a Mesa smoke shop was shot and killed at point blank range in a robbery that saw the gunman steal $150 and three cartons of cigarettes, newly released court documents said.
Kurt Dustin Coleman, a convicted felon, was already in jail on a separate warrant when he was charged Friday night with first-degree murder and armed robbery in connection with the June 17 death of 51-year-old Mi-Sum "Mimi" Price, according to Mesa police.
Price was working in her Cigarettes 4-Less store at 4448 E. Main St. in a Fry's Marketplace shopping center when she was killed June 17.
Police recovered a .25 caliber shell casing and a video surveillance system from the store. Investigators said the surveillance video, anonymous tips from Silent Witness and fingerprints at the scene helped lead to the arrest.
The video of the homicide shows Coleman walk into the store and pick out a smaller item in the pipe section, the court document said. Coleman and the victim walked to the counter and Coleman is seen reaching into his back pants pocket, the document said.
"The victim turns her head momentarily and Coleman points a black semi-automatic handgun at her head from almost point blank range and fires, killing the victim," the lead detective wrote.
"There were no signs of the announcement of a robbery or any verbal interaction between Coleman and the victim," the detective wrote.
Coleman then ripped out the cash register and stole three cartons of Camel 99 cigarettes, the court document stated. The register was found the next morning about 1 1/2 miles from the scene.
Coleman's girlfriend told detectives he returned home with $150 in cash and stated "this was unusual as they were broke and unemployed," according to the court document.
"This brutal crime caught on video is a testament to the defendant's lack of regard for human life and what cruel and sadistic acts he would commit in order to steal money and property from another," the detective wrote.
Bewildered customers flocked to her store the next day to pay their respects. They said they often worried about Price because she worked at her store alone seven days a week.
The detective summed up his report by stating, "This investigator believes the defendant is an extreme danger to society and fears he will continue to commit felony offenses if released."
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Kurt Coleman was already in jail on a separate warrant when he was charged Friday night with first-degree murder and armed robbery in connection with the death of 51-year-old Mi-Sum "Mimi" Price
