Crime Solvers Central
CSC
268 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.
Richard Roels death by force case profile photo

Richard Roels

Case from Phoenix, AZ dated Aug 23, 1996

Victim Details

Richard Roels

Male

Phoenix

AZ

1996-08-23

58

Richard

Roels

07/12/2026

Case Description

Any updates on this case? Let us know!
In the late summer of 1996, the city of Phoenix, Arizona, was rocked by a brutal crime that cut short the life of a retired newspaper executive. Richard Roels, a 58-year-old male, was killed on August 23, 1996, inside his Phoenix home. The incident was not a random act of violence but a robbery that escalated to murder, leaving a community in shock and a family to grieve.

The tranquility of Roels' retirement was shattered when two men, Robert Jones Jr. and Stephen Coats, forced their way ...
MEMBER ACCESS

Continue reading the complete case summary

Unlock the full case narrative for Richard Roels, all available source links, additional videos, and member discussions.

Unlock Full Case Access — $3.97/month
Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in

Links to Additional Sources (6)

See any mistakes? Let us know!
  • Man who killed 7 in Arizona put to death - USA Today
  • Grand jury indicts Jones in union hall, smoke shop deaths
    • MEMBER ACCESS

    Unlock 4 additional sources

    View the complete collection of available reporting and reference links for this case.

    View All Case Sources — $3.97/month
    Cancel anytime.
    Already a member? Log in

    Latest News

    View All

    Forum Posts (3)

    Has anyone else looked into the connection between the stolen items and the suspects' behavior? It's... ...Read More
    02/10/2024
    I recently came across a detail about the case that really hit home for me. The fact that Robert Jon... ...Read More
    08/25/2023
    Does anyone else feel incredibly disturbed by how brazen the killers were after Richard Roels' murde... ...Read More
    01/19/2023
    MEMBER ACCESS

    Join the discussion for Richard Roels

    Read full forum posts and contribute to this case discussion.

    Unlock forum access — $3.97/month
    Already a member? Log in

    Other Cases from Phoenix, Arizona

    Jose Bojorquez death by force case in Phoenix, AZ

    Jose Bojorquez

    Death: Feb 07, 2022
    In a case that remains a mystery, 24-year-old Jose Bojorquez, a male, was found shot to death in a P ...Read More
    Thomas Murphy death by force case in Phoenix, AZ

    Thomas Murphy

    Death: May 10, 2015
    In the late evening of Sunday, May 10, 2015, the life of Thomas Michael Murphy, a 53-year-old male U ...Read More
    Leonel Pineda-Valdez death by force case in Phoenix, AZ

    Leonel Pineda-Valdez

    Death: Oct 30, 2022
    In the late hours of a Sunday night in Phoenix, Arizona, the life of 27-year-old Leonel Pineda-Valde d ...Read More
    Deshawn McDonald death by force case in Phoenix, AZ

    Deshawn McDonald

    Death: Aug 21, 2016
    On what should have been a joyous occasion, the celebration of his 26th birthday, Deshawn McDonald, , ...Read More
    Cash Benally death by force case in Phoenix, AZ

    Cash Benally

    Death: Jul 15, 2019
    In the summer of 2019, a burst of gunfire shattered the quiet of a Phoenix, Arizona condominium comp m ...Read More
    Jeremy Carra death by force case in Phoenix, AZ

    Jeremy Carra

    Death: Aug 24, 2024
    In the early morning hours of August 24, 2024, a burst of gunfire shattered the quiet of a south Pho h ...Read More
    Kent Ellsworth death by force case in Phoenix, AZ

    Kent Ellsworth

    Death: Apr 26, 2022
    On a Tuesday evening in Phoenix, Arizona, the life of 57-year-old Kent Ellsworth, a male, came to a a ...Read More