On the evening of April 1, 2016, in Phoenix, Arizona, the life of 21-year-old Diego Verdugo-Sanchez was tragically cut short. He was in his car at 5500 W. Turney Ave. around 9 p.m. when he was fatally shot in what appeared to be a drive-by shooting. Rushed to a nearby hospital, he succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival. At the time of his death, Verdugo-Sanchez was eagerly awaiting the birth of his child with his partner of five years, Marina Smith, who was seven months pregnant.
Described by his loved ones as a 'Gentle Giant,' he was the youngest of four siblings and was known for his willingness to help those he cared about.
The shooting that claimed Verdugo-Sanchez's life was not an isolated incident but part of a string of violent acts that had been terrorizing the Maryvale community. For over a year, a 'Serial Street Shooter' had been stalking and gunning down victims in Phoenix. The seemingly random nature of the killings left the community on edge and presented a significant challenge for law enforcement, who fielded thousands of tips in their search for the perpetrator. For Verdugo-Sanchez's family and his grieving partner, the lack of immediate answers was a source of deep frustration.
A break in the case finally came when police arrested 23-year-old Aaron Juan Saucedo, a former city bus driver. He was linked to a dozen shootings that occurred between August 2015 and July 2016. Saucedo faced 26 felony counts, including homicide, aggravated assault, and drive-by shooting, in connection with these crimes. The arrest brought a sense of closure to the families of the victims, including Marina Smith, who welcomed the news that a suspect was finally in custody for the senseless act of violence that took the life of the father-to-be.
