Arizona Woman Faces Murder Charges After Fatal Hit-and-Run Following Disastrous Dating App Encounter

A 30-year-old Phoenix woman, Mikela Antresa Bahe, is in custody following the death of 52-year-old Norris L. Taft, who was intentionally struck and killed by his own vehicle on May 3. Police allege that the incident occurred in an apartment complex parking lot after Taft attempted to end a date with Bahe. The victim had reportedly contacted a family member earlier that day to express his belief that he had been "catfished," noting that the woman he met did not match the profile photos he saw on the MokoSpace dating application.

Surveillance footage captured the confrontation, showing Taft standing in front of his 2010 Cadillac Escalade with his hands raised in an attempt to stop the vehicle. Instead of halting, the driver accelerated, striking the victim and dragging him beneath the SUV before fleeing the scene. Investigators tracked Bahe to Flagstaff, where she was apprehended days later. While she initially claimed to have memory gaps regarding the event, police report that she allegedly confessed to a family member that she had committed a serious crime and expected to face imprisonment. Bahe currently remains held in the Maricopa County Jail on charges including second-degree murder, vehicle theft, and leaving the scene of a fatal collision.