While much is known about one of the serial-shooting suspects, only a smattering of information could be gleaned about Samuel Dieteman, the second man police arrested in Mesa on Friday.

Court records, employment histories and a few kind words from family and neighbors paint a picture of a 30-year-old divorced father of two with a history of petty criminal offenses, who lived a quiet life in Phoenix.

But before moving to Phoenix several years ago, he had extensive run-ins with police in Minnesota for drugs, shoplifting, drunken driving and assault.

"I wouldn't believe that the same man would be one of (the shooters)," Dieteman's former mother-in-law, Freda Iverson, said from her home in St. Peter, Minn. "From what I saw, he was always good to his girls."

Neighbors in the north Phoenix neighborhood where Dieteman lived on and off for several years described him as nice and shy.

"He was very quiet and kept to himself, just humble and shy," said Timothy Holmes, 47.



Since coming to Phoenix, Dieteman worked as an electrician for Haskins Electric, but he quit in 2002 after a year, just before company officials said his job was to be eliminated.



Since then, Dieteman has been arrested twice for shoplifting.

He was caught stealing two bottles of vodka, a stud finder and windshield wipers at a Wal-Mart store at 4505 E. McKellips Drive. The Wal-Mart arrest is telling, because authorities say Dieteman and Hausner are suspected of setting fires at two Wal-Mart stores last year in June.

In February, Dieteman was cited for theft at a Fry's supermarket in Glendale. He stole shampoo, soap, kitchen towels and AA batteries. Court records also show that he faced a string of civil judgments from the Villa Serena Apartments in Phoenix totaling about $4,000.



Reporters Maura Halpern, Anne Ryman and Senta Scarborough contributed.