13-Year-Old Tucson Boy Kills Mom Over Video Games

A 13-year-old Tucson boy was arrested in connection to his mother’s death after he reportedly admitting to hitting her with a dumbbell and stabbing her eight to nine times in their home in Rita Ranch.

Tucson Police say he attacked her after a fight over video games.

Around 9 p.m. Tuesday, Mary Ainuu ran up to her neighbor, bleeding from cuts to her throat. Ainuu said her 13-year-old son had attacked her.


13-year-old Isaiah Ainuu was taken into custody on suspicion of first-degree murder/domestic violence. The boy was found not far from his home near Desert Willow School Elementary School

Police say he told them he had been getting into trouble for playing video games for when he wasn’t supposed to and that he had had an argument with his mother about video games.

The affidavit detailed the incident stating, “Isaiah was playing video and went into the kitchen where he obtained a large butcher knife and a knife sharpener. Isaiah sharpened the knife and went out into the living room where Mary was sitting. Isaiah (had) a brief conversation with Mary and then hit her in the head with a five pound weight/dumbbell. Isaiah then stabbed Mary 8-9 times with the knife as she attempted to get away from him.”

According to the document, Isaiah sustained an injury, a cut on his right forearm when he stabbed his mother.

Mary Ainuu was able to leave her home and get help from a neighbor, who called 911. Tucson responders rushed her to St. Joseph’s Hospital but she died from the attack began.

Isaiah has been taken to the Pima County Juvenile Detention Center.

Pima County Attorney Laura Conover says the case will be reviewed before there’s a decision on whether the teen will be charged as an adult.

State law says in first-degree murder cases, minors aged 15 and older shall be charged as adults, and minors at least 14 years old may be charged as an adult.