In the spring of 2011, the life of Dr. Emmett Charles Velten Jr., a 69-year-old psychologist, was brutally cut short in Phoenix, Arizona. A respected professional known for his work in cognitive-behavioral therapy, Dr. Velten had made Phoenix his home for the preceding 11 years. His violent death, which remains an unsolved crime, sent a ripple of shock and sorrow through the community that knew and respected him.
On the morning of April 24, 2011, at approximately 8:10 a.m., surveillance footage captured Dr. Velten entering his condominium complex in the vicinity of 2300 North Central Avenue. He was not alone. Accompanying him was an unidentified younger man. The two were seen on multiple cameras as they walked into the building and entered an elevator together. This would be the last time Dr. Velten was seen alive.
Roughly three hours after he was seen entering his building, Dr. Velten was discovered in a hallway, suffering from a grievous head injury. Despite his critical condition, he was able to provide a brief description of his attacker to the police before he succumbed to his injuries. Before he died, Dr. Velten reportedly told officers that he had picked up the young man at a homeless shelter.
The suspect, described as a white male of about 23 years of age, approximately 5'9' tall and weighing around 145 pounds, was seen on video leaving the building alone. He was carrying a tan, mail-type bag and was possibly transient. After the assault, the man was seen driving away in Dr. Velten's vehicle. The car was later found abandoned in the area of North 35th Avenue and West Glendale. Investigators found a bloody footprint at the scene, but forensic testing of other items, including an empty beer bottle, did not yield any conclusive DNA or fingerprint evidence. Despite the existence of surveillance footage and a description of the assailant, no arrests have ever been made in connection with the murder of Dr. Emmett Velten, leaving a case that has grown cold over time and a community still waiting for answers.
