In the early morning hours of June 29, 2017, a male victim, Lionel Larue, was sleeping outside of a 7-Eleven convenience store located at 1850 West Glendale Avenue in Phoenix, Arizona. At approximately 3:50 a.m., a young man entered the store and obtained a cup of water. Upon exiting, he approached the sleeping Larue and proceeded to pour the water on him.
What followed was a brutal and unprovoked attack.
The suspect, without any apparent motive, began to viciously beat and kick Larue as he lay on the ground. After the assault, the suspect fled the scene, leaving Larue with severe injuries. Emergency services were called, and Larue was transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, he ultimately succumbed to the injuries he sustained in the attack.
Phoenix police launched a homicide investigation into Larue's death. Authorities released a description of the suspect, describing him as a Black male between 17 and 20 years of age, standing between 5'8' and 5'10' tall, and weighing approximately 170 pounds. At the time of the incident, he was wearing mustard-colored jeans, a black hoodie, a white headband, a red backpack, and white sneakers.
The case was featured by Silent Witness, an organization that works with local law enforcement to solicit anonymous tips from the public to help solve crimes. A reward of up to $1,000 was offered for information leading to the arrest of the individual responsible for Lionel Larue's murder. As of late 2025, there have been no publicly available updates regarding any arrests or the identification of any suspects in the case. The death of Lionel Larue remains an unsolved homicide.
