As the Phoenix community still reels from the tragic shooting of Leonel Pineda-Valdez in October 2022, his family steps forward, demanding justice for the 27-year-old found dead in a car crash. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, a news conference was held earlier today, where loved ones, including the victim’s fiancé and mother, shared their enduring heartbreak and appealed for answers.
The police discovered Pineda-Valdez fatally shot in a vehicle that had careered into a fence behind a business near 67th Avenue and Thomas Road, where the initial shooting reportedly occurred. The investigation has yet to yield a suspect, leaving a void, and a community grappling with an unsolved crime that left four children without a figure who was about to become their stepfather. "He was an amazing dude. He was loving. He was outspoken. He did not care. He was very protective of my kids. No matter what it was, he would jump for them," Pineda-Valdez's fiancé, Mary Martinez, told FOX 10 Phoenix in an interview.
Mary Martinez recounted her last conversation with Pineda-Valdez on the fateful night, "He called me at 10:48. ‘Babe, I’m 10 minutes away. I’m on 67th Avenue and Thomas. I love you and I will see you soon.’ Normally we are on the phone until he gets home but the phone was about to die. That five minutes turned into forever, like he’s not coming. Those five minutes are gone and he’s not with me," she told FOX 10 Phoenix.
The frustration with the Phoenix Police Department is mounting as Martinez fears the assailant remains a free threat. "Since it’s not their loved ones or their family, they’re not pushing the issue, and justice needs to be served," said Martinez. She fears that the unknown suspect could harm others. Her days are now marked by a heavy void, the routine of life overshadowed by the weight of grief and fear. "I am stuck inside 24/7. I don’t like going out in public anymore. It's hard," Martinez confessed to FOX 10 Phoenix.
With a GoFundMe page established in honor of Pineda-Valdez, the family and community are rallying for support. The quest for justice is unyielding, as Phoenix Police urge anyone with information to step forward and contact Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS.
