Phoenix Dating-App Murder: Mikela Bahe, 30, Accused of Running Over & Killing Norris Taft, 52, with His Own SUV | Latest Updates | 17GEN4 News
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Phoenix Dating-App Murder: Mikela Bahe, 30, Accused of Running Over & Killing Norris Taft, 52, with His Own SUV | Latest Updates | 17GEN4 News
17GEN4 News – Phoenix, Ariz. May 9, 2026 — A Phoenix woman is behind bars facing second-degree murder charges after authorities say she deliberately ran over and killed a man she met on a dating app — using the victim’s own SUV — moments after he accused her of catfishing him and tried to end their first date.
Mikela Antresa Bahe, 30, was arrested in Flagstaff on Wednesday, May 6, and extradited to Phoenix. She remains in custody at the Maricopa County Jail on a $1 million cash-only bond. Her next court appearance is scheduled for May 13.
According to Phoenix Police Department court documents and investigators, the deadly encounter unfolded on Sunday, May 3, around 4 p.m. in the parking lot of an apartment complex near 16th Street and Maryland Avenue.Taft, 52, had connected with Bahe on the MocoSpace dating app. He picked her up that afternoon and the pair stopped at a donut shop, a marijuana dispensary, and a gas station before returning to Taft’s apartment. Surveillance video and purchase records helped detectives identify Bahe.
At some point during the date, Taft texted a family member saying he believed he had been “catfished” because Bahe did not match her profile photos — and that he was trying to end the outing early. An argument erupted. Police say Bahe then took control of Taft’s dark-colored SUV (believed to be a 2010 Cadillac Escalade), drove over him in the parking lot, and dragged him underneath the vehicle before fleeing the scene.
First responders found Taft with critical injuries. He was rushed to a hospital, where he later died.
Bahe allegedly drove the stolen SUV away from the complex. The next day she took a Groome Transportation shuttle from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to Flagstaff. With assistance from Flagstaff police, she was located and taken into custody at a Denny’s restaurant on Wednesday afternoon.
Phoenix homicide detectives developed probable cause linking Bahe to the crime through video evidence, witness statements, and digital records. She faces felony charges including second-degree murder, leaving the scene of a fatal accident, and theft of means of transportation.
As of Saturday, May 9, the victim’s SUV has not been recovered. Police continue to ask the public for any information on its whereabouts.
This isolated but shocking case has drawn widespread attention across Arizona as another example of the dangers that can arise from online dating meetups. No additional suspects are being sought, and authorities say there is no ongoing threat to the community.
17GEN4 News will continue following developments, including any new details from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office or Bahe’s defense team.
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