The new year had barely begun in Kansas City, Kansas, when tragedy struck. In the early morning hours of January 1, 2018, as many were still celebrating, 24-year-old Mike Arita-Hurtado was found shot to death. The incident, which marked the city's first homicide of the year, unfolded just before 1:30 a.m. in the 2900 block of Oakland Avenue. When officers arrived at the scene in response to a shooting call, they discovered the young man's body on the ground.
In the immediate aftermath of
the shooting, details were scarce. The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department had no information on a suspect or what might have led to the fatal encounter. The lack of leads left a community searching for answers and a family grappling with a sudden and violent loss. For over a year, the case remained a painful, unresolved chapter for those who knew and loved the young man.
A significant development finally came in September 2019. Justice for Mike Arita-Hurtado was served when Denis Alfaro, a 27-year-old from Kansas City, Kansas, was convicted of first-degree murder for the New Year's Day shooting. A jury found Alfaro guilty, bringing a close to the investigation that began on that cold January morning and holding him accountable for the death of Mike Arita-Hurtado.
