Phoenix police say five homicides in Maryvale may be connected and extra investigators have been brought in to find out if there’s a link between the killings.
The murders have several things in common. They happened on weekend nights, the victims were shot in front of homes and there was no clear motive for any of them.
The victims, which include a 12-year-old girl, do not appear to have been involved with anything illegal, said Phoenix Police Sgt. Jonathan Howard.
“I think a lot of times we go out and investigate crimes and we quickly attribute it to a lifestyle that’s high-risk, and that’s maybe drug usage or a relationship with a gang,” Howard said. “And we haven’t identified any common term like that that would explain any of these.”
The first shooting happened more than two months ago and the rest occurred in June. Investigators say they're focused on the area between 67th and 55th avenues, and McDowell Road and Campbell Avenue.
Residents have started thinking twice about spending time in their front yard, said state Sen. Martín Quezada, who represents a large part of Maryvale.
“I think that there is definitely a heightened level of awareness,” Quezada said. “But I’m not sure that it has translated into fear yet because I think we still aren’t completely sure about what exactly we’re dealing with.”
Maryvale is predominantly Hispanic and Spanish speakers are going door-to-door with Phoenix police officers. They want anyone who sees something suspicious to call the Violent Crime Bureau or Silent Witness, 480-948-6377.
