Let's see:
* The guy who was killed had meth in his system;
* The guy who was killed was the guy who was going to pay for the repair;
* The repair guy probably had clothing damage and cuts/scrapes.
I realize that the prosecution had only the defendant's account plus physical evidence, but this is a case they should not have taken to trial without VERY powerful evidence that contradicted those circumstances. Basically, IMO, the DA probably decided they could use the serious charge to get a guilty plea to something lesser, thus padding their conviction rate.
To be blunt, were I the acquitted defendant I would leave for UT, NM, or TX. Maricopa County is no longer safe for him, and even another county in AZ might be risky. A shady DA like that cannot be trusted not to try to retaliate.