A 49-year-old man has been indicted in connection with a fatal shooting on Tucson's east side nearly two years after the victim died, police say. Tyrone Elem faces charges including second-degree murder in the death of James Anthony Fraccaro, who was shot on East 22nd Street in November 2024.
Officers responded to the 2600 block of East 22nd Street on Nov. 23, 2024, after reports of a person in distress, according to the seed reporting from KGUN 9. Fraccaro, 49, was found with a gunshot wound and taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. As reported by KOLD News 13, the shooting happened that day on 22nd Street, and officers transported Fraccaro to the hospital immediately after.
Fraccaro did not survive. Police were notified on Dec. 8, 2024 that he had died from his injuries, according to the same KOLD report.
Indictment Comes Nearly Two Years Later
On Oct. 15, 2026, Elem was indicted on charges that include second-degree murder, misconduct involving weapons as a prohibited possessor, and discharging a firearm within city limits, the station's report states. Tucson police say Elem is already in federal custody on separate federal weapons charges, and the department's Cold Case Unit is now working with federal authorities to have him transferred and booked into the Pima County Adult Detention Complex.
Per the same account, Elem has a criminal record dating back to 1996 that includes prior assault and drug violations. The evidence reviewed does not specify a plea, attorney information, bond status, or any scheduled court hearings in the case.
What the Charges Could Mean
Arizona law defines second-degree murder as a killing that occurs without premeditation, according to the Arizona Legislature. Separately, the state's misconduct-involving-weapons statute classifies certain offenses as class 2 felonies and others as class 3 felonies depending on the specific subsection alleged, per the Arizona Legislature's text, though the evidence available does not specify which subsection applies to Elem's case. Unlawful discharge of a firearm within a municipality, meanwhile, is classified as a class 6 felony when committed with criminal negligence, according to the same legislative source.
A Broader Backdrop of Violence
The case adds to a string of homicides that have drawn scrutiny in Tucson in recent years. Tucson recorded 66 homicides in 2024, a rise of 13 from the prior year but still below the city's recent high of 77, according to AZPM. That total included the shooting that killed Fraccaro. By contrast, AZPM later reported that Tucson's 2025 homicide count fell to 54, the lowest since 2019, when the city logged 43.
The circumstances leading up to the shooting, including any motive or the type of firearm involved, were not detailed in the available police account. Tucson police have not released additional information beyond confirming the charges and Elem's custody status.
