In the spring of 2014, the life of 17-year-old Gabriel Calderon was tragically cut short in Prescott Valley, Arizona. The Hispanic male was discovered on April 16, 2014, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was rushed to a hospital in Phoenix for medical attention, but succumbed to his injuries and passed away the following day on April 17, 2014.
Gabriel, who was born on October 2, 1996, in Prescott, was a young man whose sudden and violent death prompted a swift law enforcement investigation.
The investigation into the shooting death of Gabriel Calderon led Prescott Valley police to identify a suspect. A warrant was issued, and on a Friday in late April 2014, authorities moved to apprehend 23-year-old Richard Quiroz. The arrest was not without incident; as a team of officers attempted to take him into custody in the Congress area, the vehicle he was in rammed an officer's car. Despite the attempt to evade capture, both Richard Quiroz and another individual in the car, 22-year-old Chris Quiroz, were successfully taken into custody.
Following his arrest, Richard Quiroz faced serious charges, including first-degree murder and witness tampering in connection with the death of Gabriel Calderon. The investigation also had a narcotics component, as anti-drug officers participated in the case. The second individual apprehended, Chris Quiroz, was arrested on unrelated felony drug charges. The community mourned the loss of Gabriel, with his funeral mass held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church on April 25, 2014, followed by his burial at the Arizona Pioneers Home Cemetery in Prescott.
