Arizona cold case: Daughter seeks answers in 1998 murder of Raul Aguilar
Unsolved 1998 murder: Daughter advocates for justice in father's cold case
A daughter is searching for answers in the 1998 cold case killing of her father, Raul Aguilar, in Phoenix, just a few years after discovering he was her biological dad.
PHOENIX - Officials and family members are searching for answers in an unsolved homicide case from April 1998.
The backstory:
The homicide occurred 28 years ago at approximately 11:45 a.m. in the courtyard of an apartment complex at 9th Avenue and McKinley, located just south of Roosevelt. The victim, Raul Aguilar, was 23 years old at the time of his death and would be 51 years old today. Aguilar also went by the street name "Droopy."
Investigators are treating the case as a cold case, hoping someone will recognize his picture, remember details about him, or connect with his nickname.
What they're saying:
Detective Mike Fischer and Aguilar's daughter, Rocio, discussed what was stolen from her family and what the past 28 years have been like. Rocio, who was very young when her father died, explained how she discovered the truth about her parentage.
"I was only 5 years old. I didn’t find out that he was my biological father until 3 or 4 years ago. So having that spiritual connection to my dad, honestly, when I found him, was like taking on the responsibility of just the eldest daughter in general. And I absolutely knew that it was my duty to bring his name back into the room. And I took on so many of his personality traits that I’m surprised that people are surprised that I’m doing this," Rocio said." My mother had a very loving relationship with him. It did not work out for the better. My life, though, still has been extremely incomplete, and I am determined to find whoever did this to my father."
When asked how jarring or difficult it was to learn about her father just a few years ago, Rocio shared how the discovery impacted her.
"It was extremely difficult, but it all made sense, especially with just who I am and where I come from. And I knew that I belonged to a family. And I know there’s plenty of stories like this, but it happened for a reason. And although my father had passed, he knew me. He met me once or twice as an infant and as a 5-year-old, and that left a mark on my heart and that’s what I carry now," Rocio said.
Big picture view:
Rocio also explained why it is crucial for her to advocate for her father's case.
"There’s so many people that just go into a file and the names are just names, especially Chicano and Native American, missing and murdered Indigenous people in general. We go unseen. And I took that responsibility on being his only alive daughter," Rocio said.
What you can do:
Fischer urged anyone with information about the case or who remembers Aguilar to come forward immediately, regardless of how much time has passed, by contacting Silent Witness at 480-948-6377.
"Any information you have, give it to us. We’ll pass it on to the detective that’s assigned to the case. And hopefully we can bring closure to Rocio," Fischer said.
Even if members of the public believe information was known back then, a new detective may be assigned to the case today, and getting information highlighted again could connect critical dots years later.
Map of the area of the homicide.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from Detective Mike Fischer with Phoenix PD and the victim's daughter.