On the morning of August 5, 2016, Luciano De'Oliveira, a 34-year-old Hispanic / Latino male, was shot outside his home in a north Phoenix neighborhood near 16th Drive and Bell Road after answering a knock at his front door. Shortly after 9 a.m., two men came to the residence and knocked; when De'Oliveira stepped outside to speak with them, one of the visitors produced a firearm and shot him.
The assailants then ran back to a black, newer-model vehicle and drove away from the scene as De'Oliveira collapsed from his injuries. He was unable to recover from the gunshot wound and died as a result of the attack.
Investigators quickly focused on identifying the two men seen at De'Oliveira's door that morning. Witness accounts allowed police to release detailed physical descriptions of both suspects, including approximate ages, heights, builds, facial hair, and the clothing each was wearing at the time of the shooting. One was described as a larger man in casual work-style clothes, while the second was noticeably slimmer and dressed in a dark shirt, jean shorts, and a baseball-style cap. Both were believed to have escaped together in a dark-colored, black vehicle immediately after the shooting, and authorities emphasized that anyone who recognized either man or the car could provide critical information.
Because the two suspects left the area before officers arrived, the investigation relied heavily on community assistance. Silent Witness, the Phoenix-area crime tip program, publicized De'Oliveira's case and announced a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of those responsible. Public case summaries continue to list the homicide as unsolved, indicating that no arrests linked to the killing have been publicly reported and that authorities are still seeking tips to identify and locate the two men involved in De'Oliveira's death.
