Nearly a year after a late-night party in east Phoenix turned deadly, detectives are again asking for the public’s help to find whoever killed 18-year-old Noel Nava.
Police say Nava was leaving a large party in the early morning hours of June 7, 2025 when gunfire erupted. He was rushed to a hospital, where he later died, and two other people were wounded in the same incident. Investigators believe more than one shooter was involved and say that bystanders’ cellphone video could be crucial to identifying suspects. The renewed appeal aired on local television Saturday as detectives continue to chase leads nearly 10 months after the killing.
On April 11, 2026, FOX 10 Phoenix aired a segment highlighting the still-open case and urging anyone with information to come forward. The report identified the victim as 18-year-old Noel Nava and noted that detectives are still searching for whoever fired the fatal shots.
Police request video and tips
According to a June 7, 2025 media advisory from the Phoenix Police Department, officers responded around 4:30 a.m. to an apartment complex near 40th Street and Colter Street and found Nava with a gunshot wound. He later died at the hospital. The advisory states that another man was treated at the scene and a third victim showed up at a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Detectives believe multiple shooters may have been involved.
Investigators asked anyone who attended the party and captured photos or video to upload them to the department’s online evidence portal and to contact Silent Witness, according to the Phoenix Police Department. Detectives say the digital trail left on partygoers’ phones could help them piece together who opened fire and why.
Neighbors recall the aftermath
Residents in the surrounding complex told local reporters they were stunned to wake up to a crime scene outside their homes. Some later discovered bullet damage to their cars, a stark reminder of how close the gunfire came to bystanders, as reported by AZFamily. That coverage also noted that police believe cellphone footage from the party could be key evidence.
In the days after the shooting, Hoodline covered the case in a June story, 18-Year-Old Fatally Shot, which directed readers to the police portal for uploading tips and video. Nearly a year later, that call for digital evidence and anonymous tips remains at the center of the investigation into Nava’s killing.
