Drew Meneses is a 24-year-old Arizona man charged with second-degree murder and aggravated assault in the October 11, 2025 death of 29-year-old Thomas John “T.J.” Pizzitola outside a bar in Old Town Scottsdale. Prosecutors say Meneses walked up behind Pizzitola on a sidewalk and threw an unprovoked punch that knocked him unconscious, and that Pizzitola struck his head on the concrete and suffered a fatal brain injury. Meneses is being held in the Maricopa County Jail on a $1 million cash bond.1FOX 10 Phoenix. 5 Arrested in Deadly Scottsdale Fight
What Happened Outside Pattie’s First Avenue Lounge
Around 2:00 a.m. on October 11, 2025, Pizzitola and two friends were ejected from Pattie’s First Avenue Lounge, near 1st Avenue and Scottsdale Road.2Arizona’s Family. Homicide Investigation: Man Dies After Fight Outside Scottsdale Bar They walked toward a rideshare pickup area in the rain. While they waited, one of Pizzitola’s friends bumped into Krista Molina, a 27-year-old woman standing under an awning. The friend apologized and the group tried to leave, but Molina began arguing and the four men she was with followed them instead of letting them walk away.3Arizona’s Family. 5 Arrested After Man Dies in Fight Outside Old Town Scottsdale Bar
Prosecutors described cellphone video showing Pizzitola standing with his arms at his sides when Meneses came up from behind and punched him in the head without warning. They called it a “sucker punch” that “blindsided” the victim. The blow knocked Pizzitola unconscious and he fell to the pavement. According to prosecutors, the video also shows Meneses continuing to punch Pizzitola in the torso and face as he lay on the ground, while the other men in the group attacked Pizzitola’s two friends. All five then fled.3Arizona’s Family. 5 Arrested After Man Dies in Fight Outside Old Town Scottsdale Bar
Officers found Pizzitola unconscious on the sidewalk at about 2:15 a.m. He was taken to a hospital and pronounced brain dead, and never regained consciousness.1FOX 10 Phoenix. 5 Arrested in Deadly Scottsdale Fight
Who T.J. Pizzitola Was
Pizzitola was 29 and weeks away from becoming a father. His wife, Krisan Pizzitola, was pregnant with their first child, a boy they planned to name TJ Vito, due in November 2025. His family said he “wanted to be the best father ever and the best husband.”4People. Dad-to-Be Killed in Bar Fight Weeks Before Birth Krisan told reporters she first realized something was wrong around 3:30 a.m. on October 11, when she checked a location-sharing app and saw her husband had been taken to an emergency room.5FOX 10 Phoenix. Pregnant Widow Mourns Husband Killed in Scottsdale Bar Fight
The Arrests and Charges
Scottsdale police investigated for nearly two weeks before executing search warrants on October 22, 2025, and arresting all five suspects.6KTAR News. 5 Arrested in Man’s Death in Scottsdale The charges filed:
- Drew Meneses, 24: second-degree murder and aggravated assault.
- Julius Husser, 27: aggravated assault and assault.
- Tony Becker, 26: aggravated assault and assault.
- Mark Whitford, 23: aggravated assault.
- Krista Molina, 27: assault and disorderly conduct.3Arizona’s Family. 5 Arrested After Man Dies in Fight Outside Old Town Scottsdale Bar
Meneses faces the most serious charges of the group. At his first court appearance, a judge set bond at $1 million cash.1FOX 10 Phoenix. 5 Arrested in Deadly Scottsdale Fight Prosecutors told the court he has a prior felony conviction for a separate violent crime, though specifics have not been publicly reported.3Arizona’s Family. 5 Arrested After Man Dies in Fight Outside Old Town Scottsdale Bar
What Meneses Faces if Convicted
Second-degree murder is a class 1 felony in Arizona.7Arizona Legislature. A.R.S. § 13-1104, Second Degree Murder The standard sentencing range is a minimum of 10 years, a presumptive term of 16 years, and a maximum of 25 calendar years in prison. For a defendant with a prior conviction for a qualifying violent felony, those numbers rise to a 15-year minimum, a 20-year presumptive term, and a 29-year maximum.8Arizona Legislature. A.R.S. § 13-710, Sentencing for Second Degree Murder Because prosecutors flagged Meneses’s prior violent felony at his initial appearance, the enhanced range could apply if he is convicted.
The Cellphone Video
Video from the scene has been central to the prosecution’s case. Prosecutors cited it to show Pizzitola was not in a fighting posture when he was hit, and to argue the confrontation was not mutual because the suspects followed the victims as they tried to leave rather than letting them walk away.3Arizona’s Family. 5 Arrested After Man Dies in Fight Outside Old Town Scottsdale Bar