Man charged in murder of Arizona dancer is found guilty of robbing her 3 years before her killing
Cudjoe Young was found guilty of robbing Mercedes Vega in 2020, three years before her murder. Vega was discovered dead in 2023, and prosecutors allege Young was involved in her killing to prevent her from testifying against him. Young faces multiple charges, including murder and armed robbery, related to both the robbery and Vega's death.
- ▪Cudjoe Young was convicted of armed robbery related to Mercedes Vega in 2020.
- ▪Mercedes Vega was found dead in an abandoned car in 2023 with signs of violence.
- ▪Young faces additional charges including murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy connected to Vega's killing.
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U.S. newsMan charged in murder of Arizona dancer is found guilty of robbing her 3 years before her killingCudjoe Young on Wednesday was convicted of robbing Mercedes Vega in 2020. She was found burned and shot in an abandoned car in 2023.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Friends and family gathered to remember Mercedes Vega at Rio Salado Park in Tempe in 2023.Nicole Mullen / The Republic/USA Today Network via ImagnShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 27, 2026, 9:23 PM EDTBy Tim StellohA jury convicted an Arizona man Wednesday in the gunpoint robbery of an exotic dancer who was killed three years later in a murder plot that officials say he carried out with two others.
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