Julian Cox, a 41-year-old White male, was shot and killed in Mesa, Arizona, on the night of Friday, May 26, 2023. His death was part of a violent shooting spree that spread across two cities and left four people dead and one seriously injured.
That evening, Cox was in Beverly Park near Alma School Road and Main Street when he encountered a man later identified as Iren Byers. According to court documents, Cox spoke to Byers about "blues," a street name for fentanyl pills.
Police believe this conversation triggered the attack. Byers allegedly shot Cox in the head and fled. A surveillance camera at a nearby apartment complex recorded a man entering the park, followed by the sound of a single gunshot. Officers discovered Cox's body just before 10:30 p.m.
The killing was one of five connected shootings that began that afternoon in Phoenix and continued into the early morning hours in Mesa. The other men killed were Nicholas Arnstad, 41, Stephen Young, 41, and John Swain, 40. A fifth victim, 36-year-old Angela Fonseca, was shot and hospitalized with serious injuries but survived.
Investigators from the Mesa and Phoenix police departments quickly determined that a single suspect was responsible for all five attacks, linking them through the 9mm handgun used, the suspect's description, and security footage from the different crime scenes. They arrested 20-year-old Iren Byers, who authorities said was solely responsible for the rampage.
During questioning, Byers reportedly confessed to all five shootings. He told investigators his actions were fueled by a hatred for drug use and homelessness, noting that his own brother abused fentanyl. He allegedly showed no remorse, telling detectives the victims "didn't deserve" help. Byers also led police to the location of the handgun and the clothes he had been wearing. He was initially booked on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder.
The case concluded in January 2025, when Iren Byers pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the killing of Julian Cox and the three other victims.
