In the early morning hours of April 7, 2012, Peter Marquez, a 47-year-old male, was working his shift as a manager at a Walmart in Phoenix, Arizona, located at 75th Avenue and McDowell Road. Inside the store, two employees were in the process of transferring cash from the registers into a shopping cart when they were suddenly confronted by an armed man who demanded the money.
The suspect, described as a white or Hispanic male in his 20s or 30s with a thin build, held the employees at gunpoint before seizing the cart full of cash and making his way towards the exit. He was wearing a dark gray long-sleeved hoodie, blue jeans, and dark shoes.
Peter Marquez, who was outside the store at the time, saw the robbery unfolding and, along with another employee, ran towards the entrance to intervene. As the suspect exited the store with the shopping cart, he was confronted by Marquez. The armed robber then raised his handgun and fired, striking Marquez. The gunman grabbed some of the money from the cart and fled the scene on foot, disappearing into a nearby residential area. Marquez was rushed to a local hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. The tragic event occurred just one day before he would have celebrated his 48th birthday.
In the wake of the shooting, the Phoenix police launched an investigation and sought help from the public to identify the suspect. Surveillance images of the man were released, but despite these efforts, the individual responsible for Peter Marquez's death has not been apprehended. Years after the incident, the case remains unsolved, and the killer is still at large. Peter Marquez was remembered by his colleagues as a respected and positive person who was deeply committed to his family. He was survived by his parents, two daughters, and two grandchildren, who were left to mourn the sudden and violent loss of their loved one.
