In the summer of 2019, a burst of violence on the south side of Tucson claimed the life of 24-year-old Luis Puente. On the evening of Wednesday, June 12th, the Tucson Police Department was alerted to a chaotic scene involving a shooting and a subsequent single-vehicle rollover crash. When officers arrived, they found a grim situation with multiple people injured.
Amid the wreckage and confusion, three individuals were rushed to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries.
Tragically, Luis Puente was pronounced dead at the scene. It was later determined by investigators that Puente had sustained gunshot wounds. The incident was quickly handed over to the Tucson Police Department's Gang Detectives, suggesting a possible connection to gang-related activities.
As the investigation unfolded, it was revealed that another adult male had also been shot during the same incident but had managed to transport himself to the hospital. A third individual, a female, was also injured in the rollover crash. The investigation into the death of Luis Puente was extensive, as detectives worked to piece together the events that led to the fatal shooting and crash.
More than a year later, on August 20, 2020, the Pima County Attorney’s Office announced a significant development in the case. Following a grand jury proceeding, an indictment was secured against 20-year-old Ruben F. Molina, charging him with the first-degree murder of Luis Puente. This breakthrough in the case offered a measure of progress in the long road to justice for Puente and his family. The following year, on March 11, 2021, another arrest was made in connection with the murder. Angel Rabago, who was a minor at the time of the offense but was 18 at the time of his arrest, was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Violent Offender Task Force and also faced a charge of first-degree murder.
