In the early morning hours of a Thursday in July 2012, the sound of gunshots shattered the quiet of an East Memphis neighborhood. Shortly after midnight on July 26th, police were called to a home on East Yates Road, South. Inside, they discovered the bodies of two men, one of whom was 26-year-old Anthony Conte. He, along with 30-year-old Robert Schmidt, had been fatally shot.
Investigators believe the two men were the victims of a robbery gone wrong.
Evidence at the scene pointed to a violent struggle, and it was determined that both Conte and Schmidt died from multiple gunshot wounds. A witness reported hearing the gunshots and then the sound of a vehicle speeding away from the residence, leaving behind a tragic and perplexing crime scene. The case, which is considered a double homicide, has since been turned over to the Cold Case Unit of the Memphis Police Department.
Years have passed since the deaths of Anthony Conte and Robert Schmidt, yet the case remains unsolved. No arrests have been made, and no suspects have been publicly identified. Law enforcement officials have repeatedly appealed to the public for any information that might lead to a breakthrough in the investigation. A significant reward is being offered for any tip that results in the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this decade-old crime. The families of both men continue to await justice as the search for answers continues.
