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Phoenix Police link alleged killer to 2 other violent shootings
A family is grieving the loss of their son, who was shot and killed while sitting at a bus stop last month. FOX 10's Taylor Wirtz learns why questions remain, even though his alleged killer was caught.
PHOENIX - A Valley family is remembering a lost loved one, who was murdered in a random act of violence by a man police said killed another man the week before.
The backstory:
The family of Andreas Olguin said he had been through a lot in the last few years, but everyone who knew him said he wouldn’t hurt a fly. While they are glad his alleged killer was caught, they still have many questions as to why this happened.
Toni Perez remembers the day her son Andreas was born, arriving early at just 24 weeks.
"He was one pound, six ounces. You know, he was fighting for his life when he was born. So he was a fighter," said Perez, Andreas’ mother. "Andreas was a good kid. He was well-loved and well-known through the Sunnyslope community."
Dig deeper:
Life wasn’t always easy for Andreas in recent years. Despite countless efforts by family to get him help, they said he chose to live on the streets.
"Andreas was a person that just stuck to himself," Perez said. "We tried multiple times to get him off the streets, but he wanted his independence."
Despite her son’s struggles, Perez maintains he kept to himself.
"That doesn't make him a bad person," she said. "He didn't bother anybody."
What we know:
On Nov. 29 around 2 a.m., Phoenix police said 21-year-old Adalberto Cordova Torres shot and killed Andreas while he was sitting at a bus stop near 19th Avenue and Thunderbird Road, shooting him 11 times.
"Never in a million years would I think my son would just be sitting at a bus stop and somebody just would walk up to him and unleash the wrath for no reason," Perez said. "He’s going to be missed. Our holidays are never going to be the same. It’s a lot right now."
Why you should care:
Detectives said Torres killed another man, 45-year-old Marcus Adams, just a few days earlier on Nov. 24 near 19th Avenue and Greenway Road, shooting him nine times. Ballistic evidence, surveillance video, and cellphone technology helped them connect the two cases. They said Torres also fired shots at a home on North 1st Drive on Nov. 11, though no one was hurt.
Detectives told Perez that Torres did not seem to know her son.
"That's where I'm furious," Perez said.
What's next:
Officers arrested Torres on Dec. 4. Perez plans to go to every one of his court dates. His next court date is Dec. 11.
"I know my son is a good kid and he had a good heart," she said. "Nobody deserves this. I'm going to seek justice for my son and for Marcus. He deserves it, too."
What you can do:
Friends have set up a GoFundMe for Andreas’ family.
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Map of where the shooting occurred.
The Source: This information was gathered from the family of Andreas Olguin and Phoenix Police.