Buckeye Fiancé Charged in Plot to Have Stranger Assault Partner

A mother of two in Buckeye fought off a stranger who allegedly broke into her home on a plan coordinated by her own fiancé.

The incident unfolded over two weeks in mid-October. Around 6 p.m. on Oct. 16, Adrian Ayala arrived at the residence where the victim was alone with her 2-month-old son and 17-month-old daughter. Her fiancé, Zarian Dyer, had just left to buy groceries. Ayala, 20, initially poked his head through the front door and asked to use the bathroom.

When the woman confronted him, Ayala kicked the door open and forced his way inside. He grabbed her by the neck, choking her as he moved her toward the bathroom. Inside, he attempted to undo the button on her pants before groping her. The victim managed to pull him back outside into the front yard. Security footage from the home shows her slapping him and shouting while he leaned his weight into her. During the struggle, Ayala told her, “Your boyfriend told me you’d be into this.”

The woman chased Ayala down the street until he fled. Police located him the next day at his home in Goodyear, about 15 miles away. Investigators later discovered that Dyer, 23, had recruited Ayala for the assault. Dyer was arrested on Thursday, Oct. 29, following the review of electronic devices seized from Ayala. Those devices contained communications between the two men discussing the plan.

Dyer faces charges of aggravated assault, sexual abuse, attempted sexual assault, kidnapping, and conspiracy. Ayala was charged with kidnapping, sexual abuse, burglary, and aggravated assault. He made his first court appearance on Oct. 18. His attorney told the judge that Dyer brought him to the home for a “role-play scenario” and that Ayala believed the woman had consented. Ayala’s trial is set for April 1, 2027. Dyer’s next court date has not been determined. Investigators said the motive behind Dyer’s alleged orchestration of the attack remains unclear.