As the sun casts yet another year's shadow over the memories of Robert Puentes and Xavier Martinez, their bereaved family continues to wade through the stagnancy of a case left cold by the silence of witnesses. In a gesture laden with both love and desperation, the reward for information regarding the tragic shooting that stole the young men from their midst has been increased, confirming an additional $10,000 donation from a family friend. This new contribution brings the total reward to $12,000.
It was in the early hours of an August Sunday in 2022—a day, which plotlike held the kind of celebration one expects to find in tales of youth—where the cousins' lives were claimed by bullets, as per the details noted by AZFamily. Yet, not a soul among the partygoers has stepped forward leaving the Phoenix police and Silent Witness without a suspect. "We're just hoping two years have gone by, these kids or young adults have matured more," Xena Shikenjanski, who is connected to the victims.
"It’s like living that first day that we find out over, over and over again," Xena Shikenjanski said, in what has become both a testament to a family’s grief and an indictment of the community's silence, as recounted by FOX10 Phoenix. The shooting, which unfolded in a crowded neighborhood near South Mountain, remains a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the arduous journey towards justice.
The increase in the reward coincided with what would have been Puentes' 23rd birthday, marking the day not with candles and song, but with an appeal for answers. "That upped the reward to $12,000, so we’re just trying to encourage those people that were there that know something but don’t want to speak out or don’t want to be labeled a snitch and what not, to say something even if it’s anonymous," Shikenjanski stated with a plea that cuts to the core of the community’s conscience, according to FOX10 Phoenix. Their message is clear—justice over silence, right over reputation. The family urges anyone with information to reach out to Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS or contact the Phoenix Police's non-emergency line at 602-262-6151 with potential leads that could help close a wound that has been left to fester for far too long.
