One of the few crimes without a statute of limitations is a homicide. The case remains open until it is solved. However, as time passes, the ability to solve the crime begins to diminish.
When leads go cold and it seems a case cannot be solved, the detectives of the Phoenix Police Cold Case Homicide Unit take over. Often, information from the community can be effective in helping detectives move a case forward.
This summer, the Phoenix Police Department has launched a new initiative to bring attention to cold case homicides. "Hot Desert, Cold Cases" will be a series of videos and other posts on the department's social media profiles, highlighting cold cases. In addition, Silent Witness is upping the reward for information leading to the arrest and/or indictment of the suspect/s of the crime. The reward will be $5,000 for the first four cold cases.
"Hot Desert, Cold Cases" begins with a profile of Lynsey Chainhalt's case. Lynsey was barely 20 years old. Her mom, Judi Petersen, described her as smart, determined, a tried and true friend, with a great heart. That is why Judi and the Phoenix Police Department are not giving up the search for the murderer who took this young life.
"She was worthy, and she deserved a chance in life," Judi said. "She would have done good things."
Retired Phoenix Police Detective William Schira was on Lynsey's case for the final 8.5 years of his career.
"Even though I've been retired 3.5 years, I still think about this case," Det. Schira said. "Especially on the anniversary dates."
It was June 14, 2003 — a Saturday around 2 a.m. Lynsey was the designated driver for three friends on their way home from a party in the East Valley.
"As they were going northbound on I-17, somebody in a dark colored Tahoe or Blazer threw a beer bottle at them," Det. Schira explained.
The suspects car followed Lynsey to around 20th Street and Grovers where three hispanic men got out and fired 19 rounds into the victim's car, killing Lynsey and injuring the others.
The suspects then fled the scene. There are no known witnesses to the crime, except Lynsey's three surviving friends who were too drunk to be able to identify the shooters.
Numerous leads have been followed by police. None have been substantiated.
"The physical evidence wasn't really there to assist us to say who did it," the detective said.
Detective Schira said there is still hope for the case — starting with two persons of interest. Ricardo Sanchez-Molinares, or Butcho, and Fermin Gomez, or Mini, have come up in interviews involving this case, and both are suspected to have gone to Mexico after the incident.
Judi hopes, all these years later, someone will come forward with information that helps.
"I just don't know how, if you had any knowledge of something like this, something so brutal, four people, four kids...how you could keep that in for the remainder of your life," Judi said. "How do you do that?"
If you have any information regarding this case, contact Silent Witness at 480-Witness or leave an anonymous tip on the Silent Witness website. You will remain anonymous and could earn a cash reward.
Republished courtesy of Phoenix Police Department.