In the early hours of August 31, 2023, Curtis Starkenburg, a 59-year-old White male, was shot while standing next to his van on North 9th Street in a residential area of north Phoenix, just north of East Bell Road. According to information released by Phoenix authorities and crime-tip organizations, the incident occurred at around 4:30 a.m. as he was in the roadway near his vehicle.
A passing vehicle drew attention because of its unusual movements: it reportedly drove past him, then stopped, turned around, and came back toward where he was standing before shots were fired. Starkenburg was struck by gunfire and later died from his injuries, and his death has been classified as a homicide linked to gun violence in Phoenix.
Investigators have emphasized the suspicious behavior of the vehicle involved. Public bulletins describe an unidentified car that initially drove by, then reversed course and approached again in what appears to have been an intentional encounter rather than a random pass. A Silent Witness reward flyer highlights images of a red car and indicates that this vehicle and its occupants may be connected to the shooting, urging the public to help identify it or anyone who might have been in the area at the time of the attack. Authorities have repeatedly requested that anyone with information about the car, its movements on North 9th Street, or any individuals seen near Starkenburg’s van come forward with tips to assist the investigation.
Despite these public appeals, the case remains unsolved. Law-enforcement bulletins and crime-tracking sites continue to list Starkenburg’s killing as an open homicide, with no publicly identified suspect and no record of an arrest in connection with the shooting. Region-wide summaries of unsolved killings from 2023 in the Phoenix metro area include his case among a group of homicides where investigators are still seeking leads, underscoring that the shooting is considered an active but unresolved investigation. Public records associated with his name identify his ethnicity as Caucasian and confirm his residence in Phoenix, aligning with the details released in homicide bulletins and gun-violence memorial listings, which remember him as one of many victims lost to firearm-related homicide on that date.
