It's been over two years since the unsolved death of 19-year-old Rachel Hansen, who was fatally shot while sleeping in her Gilbert apartment. Despite the passage of time, the Hansen family continues to seek answers, as shared by Rachel's mother, Kim Hansen, in a statement obtained by AZFamily, "Nothing’s changed, still no answers, no explanation, not even any leads or suspects."
In the early hours of June 4, 2022, near San Tan Village Parkway and Ray Road, Rachel managed to call 911 herself after being shot, a true demonstration of her fighting spirit, however, the call wouldn't alter the grim fate awaiting her and to provide some semblance of justice, the Silent Witness program is currently offering a $7,000 reward for information that could lead to the arrest of her killer, still at large despite the family's relentless pursuit of closure. According to 12 News, Rachel's mother revealed the heartbreaking zeal of her daughter who not only aspired to integrate her love for horses with a budding career in real estate but also embodied the ethos of altruism, a legacy that endures through Rachel’s Rescue.
In the wake of their loss, Rachel's parents, Kim and Todd, and her fiancé, who has mourned her passing by tying roses to the Canyon Lake Bridge where their engagement photos were taken, are striving to persevere through their pain. Todd Hansen elucidated the gravity of their ordeal, sharing with AZFamily how delivering the terrible news to his wife was one of the most difficult things he's ever done, lamenting "That was hard."
Though tormented by the mystery surrounding Rachel's untimely end the Hansen family has salvaged over 200 dogs through the non-profit Rachel’s Rescue, transforming their daughter’s internship with compassion into a concrete expression of her enduring spirit and Kim Hansen passionately stated "A previous adopter made a comment saying Rachel’s heart and soul goes with every one of those puppies," as she told 12 News. Gilbert Police have communicated the significance of this case, confirming its priority status, and are urging the public to bring forward any potentially pivotal information that could break the case, assuring anonymous tip submissions through Silent Witness.
