2 of 3 suspects in fatal burning arrested by Phoenix police

Phoenix police arrested two of three men on Thursday suspected of fatally burning a man in a dumpster.

An unidentified man died Tuesday after being put in a trash bag, lifted into a dumpster and set on fire by three men, according to a police report.

After reviewing nearby security footage, police believe that Larry Scott, 22, Isaiah Baskin, 18, and an unnamed third person had placed the victim in a shopping cart and covered his head with more trash bags.

Police claim that the video footage shows the men lifting the cart and dumping it into a dumpster near 11th Avenue and Madison Street.

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Police said Baskin told them in an interrogation that he and Scott had helped lift the cart and that the third unnamed suspect had lit the container. He also said that he and Scott added pieces of wood to the fire, according to the police report.

Scott faces one count of first-degree murder, aggravated assault, arson and concealment of a dead body. Baskin also faces one count of first-degree murder and arson and one count of possession of drugs.

Police have not released any information about the third suspect referenced in the police report. They explained that the homicide investigation remained open.

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The population of people without housing in the area known as "The Zone," the homeless encampment near 12th Avenue and Madison Street, has grown as the housing crisis in Phoenix remains daunting. Recent numbers by the Human Services Campus put the population of those who are unhoused somewhere between 800 to 1,000 people living in tent encampments on the streets around its property.

After two lawsuits about how Phoenix addresses the encampment population in the area, the city created the Office of Homeless Solutions, which directs people to resources and housing.

In an email to The Arizona Republic, the Office of Homeless Solutions explained its concern about the recent deaths in the encampment.

“In light of this week’s incidents, the City of Phoenix is convening City leadership to address this crisis. Our urgent priority is helping connect unsheltered individuals around the Human Services Campus with safe, indoor housing options and resources to help end their homelessness,” the statement read.

Reach crime reporter Miguel Torres at Miguel.Torres@arizonarepublic.com or on Twitter @TheMiguelTorres.