Mo-Money Pawn Shop released this statement on Facebook late Friday night:
On Wednesday September 16th, 2015 management at Mo Money Pawn Shop were contacted by detectives from the Arizona Department of Public Safety asking for our cooperation in finding a certain caliber and make of handgun. Detectives and ballistic experts from AZ DPS examined several weapons and after further ballistics testing found the weapon they thought to be the match of the weapon used in several of the I-10 shootings. Pawn Shops in the state of Arizona are required by law to keep detailed records of all transactions conducted, and in this case (as well as several in the past) our diligence has assisted law enforcement officials in apprehending their suspect.
Yes, this was from your linked article:
“....Graves wouldn’t comment on a statement Merritt made in court Saturday that his gun had been in a pawn shop for the past two months....”
I guess pawn shop records would easily pin down the date he pawned the weapon. If the perp didn’t pawn it until AFTER Aug 29th (the date the shootings began?) his statement that it was in a pawn shop “for the past two months” would be difficult to prove (and likely false). But nobody is saying WHEN he pawned it other than the potential perp himself.