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 into his residence with the intent to rob him. During the commission of the crime, Roels was shot in the head, a fatal wound that ended his life. Following the murder, Jones and Coats fled the scene, but not before stealing Roels' credit cards. Their subsequent use of the stolen cards for purchases, including pizza and cowboy boots, provided a digital trail for law enforcement to follow.
The investigation into the murder of Richard Roels moved swiftly as police tracked the illicit purchases made with his credit cards. This financial trail led them directly to Jones and Coats, who were located at a local motel. A police pursuit ensued, culminating in a car crash. The two suspects attempted to flee on foot but were quickly apprehended by the authorities. Their capture brought an end to their short-lived attempt to evade justice and marked the beginning of the legal proceedings that would hold them accountable for their actions.
In the subsequent court proceedings, both Robert Jones Jr. and Stephen Coats were convicted for their roles in the robbery and murder of Richard Roels. Jones, who was also implicated in a string of other murders in Tucson, was sentenced to life in prison for Roels' death. He was ultimately executed by lethal injection on October 23, 2013, for the other murders. Stephen Coats also received a life sentence for his involvement in the crime that ended the life of Richard Roels, ensuring that both men would be held responsible for the senseless act of violence they committed.
