In the fall of 2020, a dispute between two men in Tucson culminated in a fatal shooting that claimed the life of 37-year-old Curtis Michael Fanning. The incident, which occurred on October 1st, was the grim conclusion to a history of conflict between Fanning and his alleged assailant.
Weeks before the deadly encounter, a verbal altercation had reportedly taken place between Fanning and 50-year-old Robert Anthony Fimbrez.
This prior animosity set the stage for the tragic events that would unfold. On the day of the shooting, Fanning and his girlfriend were at a residence located at 2522 N. Estrella Ave., where Fimbrez and several other people were also present. Another argument erupted between Fanning and Fimbrez, escalating quickly and violently.
According to witness accounts, the verbal confrontation took a dire turn when both men produced handguns. In the ensuing moments, Fimbrez allegedly fired his weapon, striking Fanning. Police were dispatched to the scene around 11:40 a.m. for a report of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered Fanning unresponsive in the driver's seat of a passenger vehicle at the home. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Fimbrez fled the location, evading authorities. Tucson Police Department homicide detectives launched an investigation, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Eight days later, on October 9, officers located and apprehended Fimbrez in the 1300 block of W. St. Mary's Road. He was subsequently taken into custody and booked into the Pima County Jail on a charge of second-degree murder.
