Suspect in Scottsdale killing commits suicide

A man calling himself the stepfather of a recent homicide victim killed himself Saturday night just after Scottsdale police attempted to serve a search warrant at his Mesa apartment.

Scottsdale police said John Scott Hartline-Seffern had become a suspect in the shooting death of the man he called his stepson. Travis Hartline-Seffern, 26, was shot several times early Friday morning in a south Scottsdale parking lot.

Just before 10 p.m. Saturday, officers knocked on John Hartline-Seffern’s door. He spoke to officers through the door but refused to come out of his apartment at 818 S. Westwood near Fiesta Mall.

Police said officers tried to enter the home, but the man ran upstairs and refused to come down. When officers heard what sounded like a rifle being cocked, they exited the apartment and tried unsuccessfully to contact him by telephone.

Eventually, police forcibly entered the apartment and discovered the man dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted knife wound.

Police said they also served a search warrant Saturday at the parking lot cleaning business the men shared in the 100 block of west Mohave Street in Phoenix.

Earlier in the day, the man had talked to the Tribune about the homicide victim. “Travis was a great man,” he said. “His number one concern was taking care of his daughter. He was a wonderful person.”

John Hartline-Seffern reported finding Travis dead at about 5:45 a.m. Friday at 2930 N. Scottsdale Road. His body was in a parking lot between a payday loan business and Zorba’s Adult Shop.

The two men had arrived at 5 a.m. to clean the lot, but John Hartline-Seffern told police he left his stepson alone to get coffee.

Police said Sunday the duo’s relationship is unconfirmed. They believe the men may have met in prison. Both were in the same Arizona Department of Corrections facility at the same time.

Travis Hartline-Seffern was indicted for car theft in 1999 and sentenced to probation after a plea deal. Court records show he later violated the terms of his probation.

According to Maricopa County Superior Court records, Travis W. Seffern had a civil name-change hearing at the Southeast Regional Court complex on July 24, 2003. Records also revealed that John Scott Hartline had a civil name-change hearing there at the same time.

Other court documents showed that John Scott Hartline had filed 34 civil lawsuits since 1995, with defendants including the Scottsdale Police Department, Phoenix, the Arizona Attorney General’s Office and a variety of individuals.

Police spokesman Sgt. Mark Clark said officers arrested one other person early Saturday morning in the death of Travis Hartline-Seffern.

Clark said there may be more suspects, but investigators were uncertain of how many. Travis Hartline-Seffern’s girlfriend is cooperating with police. Police said the investigation includes analyzing video surveillance footage of the area of the shooting and other physical evidence, as well as further witness interviews.