On the evening of November 6, 2022, 18-year-old Stephen Benito Jacobo was at a house party in Mesa, Arizona, celebrating his recent birthday with friends. The gathering took a tragic turn when another young man, Joe Rim, was present with a handgun. Witnesses reported that Jacobo had simply inquired why Rim had brought a gun to the party. This question allegedly prompted Rim to wave the weapon around, culminating in the fatal shooting of Stephen Jacobo.
When Mesa police responded to calls about gunshots at the apartment near Southern Avenue and Dobson Road, they found a chaotic scene. Partygoers were fleeing, and inside, they discovered Jacobo, who had been shot and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation quickly led to the arrest of Joe Rim, then 20 years old, as the primary suspect based on witness accounts. However, the path to justice for Stephen's family proved to be long and arduous. Shortly after his initial arrest, Rim was released from custody after the Maricopa County Attorney's Office sent the case back to the Mesa Police Department, requesting further investigation. For more than a year, the case remained in a state of uncertainty, a period described as 'horrible' by Jacobo's mother, Alma Antolin. Finally, in January 2024, after more witnesses came forward, Joe Rim was arrested again and formally charged with second-degree murder. A judge set his bond at $750,000.
The legal proceedings brought further revelations. During the course of the homicide investigation, authorities uncovered evidence that led to additional, serious charges against Rim. He was indicted on ten counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Despite the gravity of the charges, the case did not proceed to a full trial. In the fall of 2025, it was reported that Joe Rim had agreed to a plea deal. He would plead guilty to second-degree murder in exchange for a reduced sentence of 10 to 15 years. Stephen's father, Mark Jacobo, has publicly expressed his profound disappointment with the plea agreement, believing the sentence is not enough for taking his son's life and has been pushing for a trial to ensure what he feels is full accountability. In honor of their son, the Jacobo family established the Stephen Benito Jacobo Foundation to raise awareness about the impact of gun violence on young people.
