Authorities have arrested a 22-year-old man in connection with the brutal murder of Mercedes Vega, an exotic dancer whose body was found in a burning car on Interstate 10 near Tonopah, Arizona, over 19 months ago.
Sencere Hayes, 22, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was taken into custody on November 11 and faces a charge of first-degree murder, according to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. Hayes is being held in Hamilton County, Tennessee, while authorities work to extradite him to Arizona.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office announced that the investigation remains active, but no further details about the arrest or case have been released. It is unclear if Hayes has legal representation at this time.
On April 17, 2023, Vega’s body was discovered in the back seat of a burning Chevy Malibu along Interstate 10, approximately 52 miles west of Phoenix. The autopsy revealed she had been beaten, shot, and burned, and her face appeared to have been doused in bleach, according to a forensic pathologist who reviewed the case.
Hours before her body was found, security footage captured Vega walking into the garage of her apartment complex, where she had parked her Dodge Charger. She was not seen or heard from again.
The following day, Vega’s Charger was located abandoned in the middle of a road near her apartment, with blood discovered on the garage floor where she had parked. Authorities have not commented on these findings or how the vehicle ended up there.
The burning Chevy Malibu in which Vega’s body was found had a salvage title and was previously registered to an individual who could not be reached for comment. The car’s most recent owner, State Farm Insurance, declined to provide details, citing privacy policies and the sensitivity of the case.
A 911 caller who reported the fire stated they saw someone walking around the Malibu, but no further details about the individual were provided in the sheriff’s report.
Vega’s mother, Erika Pillsbury, expressed relief at the arrest after months of uncertainty. “For 19 months, I felt my daughter would never see justice,” Pillsbury said. “Now I know the person who did this to her is going to pay for it.”
Vega, 22, performed at a Phoenix strip club and had aspirations of becoming a personal trainer. Her family continues to seek closure as they await further updates in the case.