Phoenix police are asking for information in the unsolved 2008 shooting death of 18-year-old Melinda Landeros, who was killed by gunfire at a house party near 18th Street and Adams Street. Just before 5 a.m. on November 22, bullets fired from outside the home passed through a window and struck people inside. Landeros later died at a hospital. Nearly 18 years later, no one has been arrested.
Landeros was attending the party when the shooting occurred, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. Two friends were also injured. Authorities have said Landeros was not involved in any crime and was an innocent victim. The circumstances that led to the gunfire have not been established, the outlet reports.
FOX 10 reported that Phoenix police Detective Mike Fischer said the investigation remains open while detectives seek an actionable tip. The department continues to publicize the case as it works to identify whoever fired into the house and determine what happened that night.
Why Phoenix Detectives Are Revisiting a 2008 Shooting Now
Phoenix's Homicide Cold Case Unit continues work on unresolved killings by periodically re-examining physical evidence and fingerprint or DNA leads as forensic technology improves, according to the City of Phoenix.
How Phoenix Defines a Homicide Cold Case
According to the City of Phoenix, a homicide generally enters the cold-case process after remaining unsolved for at least one year and having no viable, unexplored investigative leads. The department's official Cold Case Homicide resource outlines that process and the role of its detectives in revisiting unresolved investigations, including through renewed reviews of physical evidence and forensic leads.
Phoenix isn't alone in devoting more resources to these dormant files. In January 2025, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes launched a Statewide Cold Case Homicide Unit to help local agencies use advanced forensic DNA and genetic genealogy tools on unresolved killings, as reported by Courthouse News Service. The state unit essentially reallocates internal resources to provide technical backup for departments like Phoenix's.
No Expiration Date on Murder Charges
Whoever fired into that house faces serious criminal charges. Firing a weapon into an occupied structure from a vehicle is separately classified as a drive-by shooting under Arizona law, a Class 2 felony carrying presumptive prison terms of 5 to 10.5 years.
Detectives are counting on the public to supply the missing piece. Silent Witness accepts anonymous tips to encourage people who might otherwise stay silent.
A Nonprofit Reward Funded Without Tax Dollars
Silent Witness is offering a cash reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to an arrest in the case. The organization, founded in 1979 as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit, operates entirely on private donations and grants rather than public funding, according to Silent Witness. Since its founding, the group says it has helped law enforcement across Maricopa County solve 12,594 felony crimes and make 7,929 arrests of violent felons.
Anyone with information about the November 2008 shooting that killed Landeros can call 480-WITNESS (480-948-6377). Police and Landeros's family have not given up on finding closure, and as forensic tools and dedicated cold case units continue to expand across Arizona, detectives are hoping this is the case that a single tip finally cracks open.
