In the early morning hours of Monday, December 7, 2015, the body of 18-year-old male, Kemont Karim, was found lying adjacent to a roadway in the vicinity of 44th Avenue and Roosevelt in Phoenix. Police responded to the scene around 7 a.m. and Karim was pronounced dead from apparent gunshot wounds. The case was immediately investigated as a homicide.
Detectives with the Phoenix Police Department began to investigate the circumstances leading to Karim's death and soon identified a person
of interest they believed was with the victim last. Authorities announced they were searching for 21-year-old Noe Hernandez, who they described as an associate of Karim. Investigators were concerned for Hernandez's welfare and sought to speak with him about the events that transpired before Karim was killed.
In the days following the discovery, police continued to seek information from the public regarding Hernandez's whereabouts. Hernandez's vehicle, a 2004 Pontiac Aztec, was also reported missing. While Hernandez was identified as a person of interest, no suspects were immediately named, and no arrests were announced in the initial stages of the investigation into Kemont Karim's death.
