On the night of April 4, 2020, a senseless act of violence irrevocably altered the lives of a young Phoenix family. Andrew Drew James, a 25-year-old Native American man, was fatally shot outside his apartment near 57th Avenue and Thomas Road. He was a devoted father to two young daughters with a third on the way and was engaged to be married later that year.
His family remembers him as a loving partner and father who had a tradition of telling his children stories in his family's Native American way.
The shooting occurred around 11:30 p.m. when witnesses reported hearing gunshots and seeing a man flee the scene in a light-colored sedan, which was possibly driven by a woman. The vehicle, captured on a nearby home's surveillance camera, had a distinct feature: a missing front driver's side hubcap. Despite this lead, the investigation into James's death has grown cold. Phoenix Police have stated that a motive for the shooting remains undetermined, and James's family insists that he had no known enemies, leaving them heartbroken and searching for answers.
In the years following his death, the case remains unsolved, with no arrests made and no suspects publicly identified. The Phoenix Police Department has featured James's story in its 'Hot Desert, Cold Cases' series in an effort to generate new leads from the public. A reward has been offered for any information that could lead to the arrest and indictment of the person or persons responsible for this tragic and unsolved crime. The family of Andrew Drew James continues to hope for justice, grappling with the profound loss of a man who was the center of their world.
