On October 13, 2024, Johnny Grammatico, a 45-year-old male, was found fatally shot inside the passenger cab of a U-Haul truck near 49th Avenue and Thunderbird Road in Phoenix. The discovery was made after a 911 call reported a man had been shot and that the suspect was still in the area, driving a gray Nissan car. Video surveillance from the scene showed a person exiting a silver sedan and approaching the U-Haul where Grammatico was located.
After a brief interaction, the individual returned to their vehicle and left the immediate vicinity but remained nearby for over an hour before police were called to the scene around 8 a.m.
Upon their arrival, officers were directed by witnesses toward a man entering a gray Nissan. When police attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver, later identified as 28-year-old Alberto Espinoza, refused to pull over and a pursuit ensued. Espinoza led officers on a high-speed chase, reaching speeds of 90 miles per hour and running several stop signs. The chase concluded in the parking lot of a CVS Pharmacy near 99th Avenue and Thunderbird Boulevard in Sun City, where Espinoza parked in the drive-thru and began to walk away. As officers approached and gave commands, Espinoza drew a handgun. In a tense moment, as one officer fired their weapon, Espinoza turned his gun on himself, inflicting a fatal wound under his chin. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. An investigation by the medical examiner confirmed that Espinoza's death was the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Johnny Grammatico was pronounced dead at the scene of the initial shooting. Subsequent investigation by law enforcement uncovered forensic evidence that definitively linked the firearm used by Espinoza to take his own life to the weapon that killed Grammatico. An item found at the scene in Sun City where Espinoza died was also tied back to Grammatico. Remembered as a vibrant man with a passion for life, Johnny Grammatico was a devoted father to his two daughters. He was known for his kind heart and his determination to build a better future for his family.
