In the early morning hours of January 10, 2025, a burst of violence shattered the quiet of a West Valley neighborhood in Phoenix. It was around 12:20 a.m. near 53rd Avenue and Thomas Road when police responded to a call of a shooting. Upon arrival, they discovered 47-year-old Samuel Rocha suffering from at least one gunshot wound. Paramedics rushed him to a nearby hospital, but his injuries proved to be too severe, and he was pronounced deceased.
The investigation into the death of the
47-year-old male quickly launched, with homicide detectives taking the lead. Their work led them to identify three individuals connected to the fatal shooting. The first two suspects, 40-year-old Michael Villegas and 22-year-old April Angerer, were taken into custody. Police continued to pursue a third person of interest in the case.
By February 17, 2025, the Phoenix Police Department announced the arrest of the third and final suspect, 30-year-old Edwin Diaz-Garcia. With Diaz-Garcia in custody, authorities stated that they did not believe there were any other individuals involved in Rocha's death. The three suspects now face the legal consequences of their alleged actions on that fateful January night.
