On a tragic day in Phoenix, Arizona, the lives of a young Hispanic man and his family were cut short in a brutal act of violence that remains a mystery to this day. Gabriel Hernandez, an 18-year-old male, was found deceased on August 29, 1992, alongside his sister, Librada Zubia Hernandez, 30, her husband, Eloy Zubia, 28, and their two young children, Rocio, 9, and Eloy Jr., 6.
The family of five was discovered slain from gunshot wounds in a dirt lot outside their residence at 701 East Baseline Road.
The grim discovery was made around 2:10 in the afternoon by a passerby. Investigators determined that all five victims had been shot execution-style. A neighbor later recounted hearing what sounded like seven gunshots in the early morning hours of that Saturday, describing a sequence of four shots, a pause, and then three more. The motive behind the horrific killings has remained elusive. Detectives have explored various theories, including the possibility of it being drug or gang-related, but have not found evidence to support these connections. Robbery was also ruled out as a motive since the family had not been robbed.
In the more than three decades that have passed since the quintuple homicide, the case has grown cold, and no arrests have ever been made in connection with the murders of Gabriel Hernandez and the Zubia family. The Phoenix Police Department conducted an extensive and costly investigation into the slayings, but the case remains unsolved. Authorities continue to seek information from the public, hoping that someone will come forward with the key piece of evidence that could finally bring justice to the victims and closure to their remaining family members. The Silent Witness program has a standing request for any information regarding the incident.
