Ricardo Varela was 15 years old when he was murdered in Tucson, Arizona, more than 10 years ago, and the person responsible for his death has yet to be brought to justice.
On Feb. 3, 2008, Ricardo, who at the time was a freshman at Canyon Rose Academy, was spending the weekend at his grandmother’s house in the 800 block of Calle Matus, near West Grant Road and North 15th Avenue, according to the Arizona Daily Star.
While there, it was reported that when he stepped outside to play cards with his relatives, an occupant in a white Cadillac Escalade opened fire as it drove by, striking Ricardo in the head—just above his eye.
Ricardo was rushed to the University Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries around 3 p.m. the following day, Feb. 4, 2008.
No one else was injured during the shooting, which relatives believe was connected to a party that was taking place nearby, and party-goers “may have gotten out of hand,” the Tucson Weekly reported.
In a statement, the victim’s family stated that he was “a great kid with a big heart. He was a good person who didn’t deserve this.”
Investigators have worked diligently to find the person who killed Ricardo, but ultimately, his case turned cold.
Anyone with information regarding the unsolved murder of Ricardo Varela is encouraged to call 88-CRIME at (520) 882-7463 or submit a tip online at 88-CRIME.