“Heartache all day, up all night, non-stop tears, sick to my stomach... only to start all over again the next day. Day in and day out. 7 weeks today. The pain grows worse... the tears don’t stop and the only thoughts in my mind every second of the day are of my daughter.” — Taken from the Facebook page of Karen Montenegro, the mother of Tempe murder victim Kyleigh Sousa.
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It’s been two months since Kyleigh Sousa was murdered in a downtown Tempe restaurant parking lot during a botched attempted robbery. The restaurant was within 50 yards of a police station, which shows the brazenness of those who participated in this tragic and senseless crime.
Tempe police have yet to make an arrest in the Arizona State University student’s murder. The sooner a homicide is solved the better. The first 48 hours are critical in a homicide investigation. After that the trail only grows colder and colder.
One can only imagine the pain being felt by Kyleigh’s mother and family. It’s the same pain and anguish felt by others who have lost a loved one to the senseless crime of murder.
Over the last decade, only about half the murders in Arizona have been solved by law enforcement.
I’ve worked hundreds of sex crimes investigations and a couple dozen homicides, and there’s no doubt in my mind that the giant statewide holes in Arizona’s criminal justice and law enforcement systems have contributed greatly to the large numbers of unsolved murders.
The lack of a statewide information sharing system on crime and criminals, an underfunded and neglected state crime lab and the continued failure of the Arizona legislature to fund and support the Cold Case Task Force has only made it easier to get away with murder in Arizona.
A December 2007 Cold Case Task Force report — authored by a committee chaired by current interim Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley — concluded: “Cold case homicides are one of the most significant challenges facing law enforcement agencies. Improving the outcomes of cold case homicide investigations is a critically important task.”
Unfortunately, while the report makes considerable recommendations to help solve the growing number of cold homicide cases, the Arizona Legislature has continually failed to support the basic fundamental changes needed to make Arizona safer and to allow greater healing for those who have lost a loved one.
Now, with the state’s aggressive and energized resource focus on the border, one can only guess when and if Arizona’s thousands of unsolved murders will ever get any attention.
In an effort to bring attention to the growing number of unsolved murders and to help fund programs that support victims and survivors of violent crime, the Sousa Family has set up The Kyleigh Ann Sousa Memorial Foundation “to keep Kyleigh’s light shining by helping others left behind when those they loved were taken too soon.” Contributions can be made to: The Kyleigh Ann Sousa Memorial Foundation, P.O. Box 757, Brick, New Jersey 08723. http://www.kyleighsousafoundation.org
The In Loving Memory of Kyleigh Ann Sousa Facebook page is at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=127166673976536&ref=ts
If you have information on Kyleigh’s murder or any other unsolved murder, please call Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS.
One unsolved murder is too many!
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Retired Mesa master police officer Bill Richardson lives in the East Valley and can be reached at bill.richardson@cox.net
Masterrogue666 posted at 6:04 am on Fri, Jul 23, 2010.
"Now, with the state’s aggressive and energized resource focus on the border, one can only guess when and if Arizona’s thousands of unsolved murders will ever get any attention." -- I knew you'd twist it into an attack on SB 1070. Consider this, with all the ILLEGAL ALIENS leaving, and the crime that goes with them, then MORE attention could be paid towards the crimes you mentioned. Initially, it will be hard to handle. In the long run, things will get better. Otherwise, if SB 1070 fails, there will probably be an increase in crime....
mikedurham posted at 8:49 am on Fri, Jul 23, 2010.
Bill,
The Sousa Case needs continued attention. Keeping this case, and hundreds of others, from being cold cases proves difficult without public assistance.
The public can help by:
1. providing leads no matter how small to detectives;
2. coming forward to indicate where evidence might be;
3. helping witnesses to come forward;
4. if members of the public know the suspects, encouraging the suspects to self surrender; and,
5. ensuring that their city council member, county board of supervisors, and legislators provide sufficient funding for forensic and line level investigation resources.
The broader issue is resolution of thousands of murders statewide with an eye on justice.
Thanks for keeping the topic up front.
Mike Durham
durhammike.com
pikeman posted at 3:39 am on Thu, Apr 7, 2011.
This is old, but here is something of interest. I comment on a messed up crime site called the dreamin demon. There is a very odd person who comments on there who goes by "Gentleman Caller" his picture is on his profile. Well, most of us thought he was a troll, but he's said some disturbing things.
Well, then I started reading his comments in his profile tonight and, although it doesn't show it now because he changed his profile, I remember the comments. He used to post as Mad Beast with serial killers like BTK killer Dennis Rader and Ted Bundy. linked to his name. He never showed his face or his name then. Now, as "Gentleman Caller" his face is shown and he shows Chandler, Arizona as his home. Might want to check into it.