An Arizona man has been arrested after police said he arranged for another man to sexually assault his fiancée during a staged home invasion.
Zarian Dyer, 23, faces charges including aggravated assault, sexual abuse, attempted sexual assault, kidnapping, and conspiracy. Authorities allege he recruited Adrian Ayala, 20, after meeting him online and coordinated the attack against his fiancée, Bella Torres.
Police said Dyer allegedly asked Ayala to carry out the assault as part of a roleplay scenario and requested that Ayala communicate with him through FaceTime while it was happening.
Buckeye Police Department spokesperson Carissa Planalp described the case as a plot between Torres’ fiancé and a man he met online.
“Detectives have arrested the fiancé of a Buckeye mom who was assaulted by a home intruder earlier this month,” Planalp said. “This assault was part of a plot between the victim’s fiancé and a Goodyear man he met online.”
The alleged attack occurred on October 16 while Torres was at home with her two children. According to her account, Ayala entered the residence after asking to use the restroom and then attacked her.
Doorbell-camera footage obtained by 12 News reportedly shows Ayala using his phone as he entered the home. Torres told the outlet that Ayala suddenly charged at her, grabbed her from behind, ordered her to remove her clothing, and kicked one of her toddlers.
Torres said she fought back and attempted to escape. In the footage, she is seen confronting Ayala as he allegedly claimed to be under the influence of drugs. He also reportedly told her that “my boyfriend sent me.”
Torres eventually managed to get away from the alleged attacker. Dyer then arrived at the home, according to the report, as Ayala fled the scene. Doorbell-camera footage allegedly shows Dyer slowly pursuing Ayala.
Ayala was later arrested and charged in connection with the alleged assault. His attorney has claimed that Ayala believed he was participating in a roleplay scenario and had been instructed to act out the encounter.
Investigators seized electronic devices belonging to both Ayala and Dyer. Police said the devices contained evidence that the two men had communicated about the planned assault before it occurred.
“Investigators found evidence that Ayala and Dyer were communicating about the planned assault,” Planalp said. Authorities have not disclosed a confirmed motive for the alleged scheme.
During Dyer’s first court appearance after his October 29 arrest, prosecutors described the case as an assault arranged through social media.
“This case involved the defendant using social media to set up the sexual assault of his girlfriend, the mother of his children, on the co-conspirator’s phone,” prosecutors said.
The allegations have raised questions about the nature of Dyer’s relationship with Torres and whether he intended the incident to be a sexual roleplay scenario or a genuine attack. Regardless of the alleged arrangement, prosecutors contend that the conduct involved serious violence, threats, and criminal coordination.
Torres’ children were reportedly present during the incident, adding another disturbing element to the case. Authorities have not publicly disclosed whether the children were physically injured beyond the allegation that one toddler was kicked.
Both Dyer and Ayala face criminal charges, and the allegations against them have not been proven in court. The investigation remains ongoing as prosecutors review the electronic communications and other evidence collected by police.