A man’s body was found about 5:15 p.m. Sunday inside a burning mobile home in the 2900 block of East McKellips Road in Mesa, officials said.
"A body was found on the bed with a gunshot wound," said Mesa fire spokesman Mark Freeman. "A weapon was found close to the body."
The fire was mainly contained to one room and appeared to have different points of origin, Freeman said. A cause had not been determined.
Mesa police Sgt. Ruben Quesada said the death "appeared to be a suicide," but was still being investigated.
Police did not identify the man, but neighbors in the small community feared the worst about the man who lived in the home.
Some described him as a "sweet old man" who was friendly with many people. Some said the man worked at a nearby carwash for about 15 years, and that he recently quit his job.
Pablo Martinez, the community manager, said he remembered that someone had broken into the man’s home last year, but could not recall any other trouble there.
"He was a good guy," Martinez said. "He didn’t have any problems with anybody."
