In the summer of 2019, a young Hispanic man named Adrian Reyes Valdez Avila lost his life in a fatal shooting in a south Phoenix, Arizona neighborhood. On July 9, 2019, at an apartment complex near 29th Street and Roeser Road, the 24-year-old was found with multiple gunshot wounds. He was quickly transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. At the time of his death, Adrian was a father to four children.
His family described him as a funny and kind-hearted individual who was always willing to help others.
The investigation into the shooting led Phoenix police to identify two individuals seen fleeing the scene. According to court documents, a verbal altercation had broken out among a group of people just before the shooting occurred. An anonymous source later informed authorities that Adrian had been at the home of a known street gang member and that the member's son had been in a dispute with Adrian the day prior over a firearm.
On July 31, 2019, authorities arrested 20-year-old Richard Lee Mitchell Chambers in connection with the homicide. He was taken into custody at his residence in Phoenix and was subsequently held on suspicion of second-degree murder. An anonymous source indicated to police that they believed Chambers had taken Adrian's gun after the shooting. Despite being arrested, Chambers reportedly denied any involvement in the killing.
