On what should have been a joyous Christmas Day in 2017, a tragedy unfolded in Phoenix, Arizona, forever altering the lives of a local family. That evening, the body of 33-year-old Candy Belen Salazar, a female, was discovered in an alley near the intersection of South Central Avenue and West Saint Catherine Avenue. The discovery was made at approximately 6:30 p.m., casting a dark shadow over the holiday.
Investigators from the Phoenix Police Department arrived at the scene to find that Salazar had died from what was described as apparent trauma, and her death was ruled a homicide. Residents in the area had reported hearing gunshots around the time her body was found, but further details about the specific circumstances of her death have not been publicly released by law enforcement.
The news of Candy's death was a devastating blow to her family, who had been expecting her at a Christmas gathering earlier that day. When she failed to arrive, her sister, Davina Montez, grew worried. Described as a warm, loving, and giving person, Candy was the mother of seven children, who at the time of her death ranged in age from just four months to fifteen years old. Her sister remembered her as someone who took care of everyone around her and whose absence would leave an irreplaceable void in their lives. The holiday season, once a time of celebration, would forever be marked by this profound loss for the Salazar family.
In the wake of this tragedy, the community came together to support Candy's seven children, who were left without their mother. Fundraising efforts were organized to help with funeral expenses and to provide for the children's future care. Despite the passage of time and the efforts of investigators, no suspects have been publicly identified in connection with the murder of Candy Belen Salazar, and no arrests have been made. The case remains an open and unsolved homicide. Law enforcement officials and organizations like Silent Witness continue to appeal to the public for any information that might lead to a breakthrough in the investigation and bring a measure of justice to her grieving family. The search for answers continues for a family still mourning the senseless loss of a devoted mother on Christmas Day.
