John Martinez Ramirez, a 25-year-old White/Caucasian man, was shot and killed on Sunday, November 27, 2022, in west Phoenix, Arizona. At approximately 1:40 p.m., Phoenix police officers were dispatched to a reported shooting near the 3800 block of North 43rd Avenue, close to Indian School Road. When officers arrived, they found Ramirez inside a vehicle suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Phoenix police classified the death as a homicide and assigned detectives to determine what had happened in the moments leading up to the shooting.
Investigators developed information indicating that a possible suspect had been seen running away from the area after the shooting. Authorities did not publicly identify that person, release a detailed physical description, or announce a suspected motive. The case was subsequently publicized through Silent Witness, which listed the shooting under case number 2022-4060 and offered a reward of up to $2,000 for information. Investigators specifically sought information that could identify the person seen leaving the area or otherwise explain the circumstances surrounding Ramirez's death.
Ramirez, who was also known as Johnny, was born John Martinez Ramirez on March 30, 1997, in Glendale, Arizona. His obituary described him as someone who loved to joke and laugh and who maintained a particularly close relationship with his siblings. He attended Glenn F. Burton Elementary School and Apollo High School, played basketball during his school years, and received a scholarship while in high school to attend Glendale Community College. He came from a large family and was remembered by relatives as a deeply loved son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend.
The killing remained painful for Ramirez's family long after the initial investigation. In November 2023, roughly one year after his death, relatives and supporters gathered for a vigil in his memory while continuing to seek answers about who was responsible. Phoenix police continued to describe the case publicly as a homicide in which Ramirez had been found shot inside a car in the area of 43rd Avenue.
No publicly available information located indicates that an arrest has been made, that a suspect has been formally identified, or that anyone has been charged, tried or convicted in Ramirez's killing. Silent Witness continues to list the suspect as unknown and continues to request information concerning both the shooting and the identity of the person seen fleeing the area. The circumstances that led to the shooting, including any relationship between Ramirez and his killer or a possible motive, have not been publicly established.
