A man described by police as ‘manipulative and charismatic’ is being hunted after he allegedly murdered a 67-year-old man inside his home.
The suspect, Matthew Dieringer, 35, has had a lengthy criminal history – and was even once accused of killing his roommate’s dogs when he lived in Colorado.
Dieringer is now wanted in connection with what Scottsdale police have called the ‘targeted killing’ of 67-year-old Frank Quaranta inside his home.
Police said they were called to Quaranta’s home for a welfare check on Monday at around 1:30am when he did not show up for work.
‘Responding officers wee unable to contact the victim any other way and forced entry inside the residence to check on Quaranta,’ police said in a news release.
‘Tragically, Quaranta was found dead inside.’
Officers and crime scene specialists then spent the next several hours combing through the evidence.
It is unclear how Quaranta was killed, and what connection he may have to Dieringer. But authorities say the suspect has a history of homelessness and has been ‘described as manipulative and charismatic, often befriending others to assist him with a place to stay.’
Police in Scottsdale, Arizona are on the hunt for 35-year-old Matthew Dieringer, who is accused of killing a 67-year-old man inside his home. Dieringer had a past criminal history in Colorado. He is pictured in a mugshot in 2020
It seems Dieringer had lived in Colorado for a time before he moved to Arizona.
There, he had a history of arrests for assaults, criminal mischief and burglary. Court records also showed that at least one family member obtained a protective order against him, KRDO reports.
In 2020, Dieringer was also accused of killing two of his roommate’s dogs.
The Teller County Sheriff’s Office said it was called for a welfare check on June 25, 2020 after the dog’s owner said he received concerning text messages from Dieringer.
When deputies then arrived at the mobile home, they found the walls were covered in blood and spotted with multiple holes – including one spot that looked like it had been body slammed, according to KRDO.
Officers also found the words ‘South Park’ etched onto a television screen, and neighbors told investigators Dieringer claimed he was working on a South Park movie.
As the deputies continued to search, they found a six-inch black tail with a white tip severed and submerged in water. The owner of the dogs positively identified the tail as belonging to his dog, Hayaka.
Deputies also said they found a blue plastic tote containing the other dog’s remains outside of the mobile home, as well as tooth fragments and black dog hair in the bathtub drain.
Police said at the time he killed his roommate’s two dogs in an ‘enraged mental state’
As the investigation continued, neighbors in the area reported hearing yelling and seeing Dieringer in an ‘enraged mental state’ the night before law enforcement arrived at the scene.
Police in Arizona now say anyone who spots the murder suspect should not approach him and should instead call 911 immediately.
They described Dieringer as having blonde hair, blue eyes and standing at six-foot-three-inches tall.
