PHOENIX — It's been nearly two years since two cousins were shot and killed at a house party in Phoenix, and their family is hoping an increased reward will finally bring some closure to their cold case.
On what would have been Robert Puentes's 23rd birthday, Silent Witness raised a reward in their case to $12,000.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Una recompensa en el programa de testigo silencioso aumenta a $12,000 en el caso de un doble homicidio
"The sad thing is his birthday, like should be something worth celebrating. For me, it's not exactly good," Xena Shikenjanski, Puentes's sister, said.
Shikenjanski said her family is looking for the person or people who killed her brother and cousin on August 28, 2022.
“The toughest part is just not knowing why, why our boys were taken from us the way they were," Shikenjanski said.
The cousins, Robert Puentes and Xavier Martinez were shot and killed while attending a house party near South Mountain.
“100 people or more crammed into a backyard. There were multiple people around those boys. They seen who did it and they know what happened," Shikenjanski said.
Yet, no witnesses have come forward.
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“The fact that they haven’t spoken up, I can only assume it’s out of fear, you know, not wanting to be called a snitch. So, the only thing I can say is you can submit that tip anonymously on silentwitness.com," Shikenjanski said.
Now, there is a higher incentive to submit a tip.
A family friend donated $10,000 to Silent Witness, raising the reward to anyone with information that leads to an arrest up to $12,000 in this case.
“It was nice to see that it wasn’t just the family that wanted justice for our boys. It’s the people that love us, too," Shikenjanski said.
Shikenjanski said she has no words for the person or people who killed Puentes and Martinez.
"I just want them found," Shikenjanski said.
She wants her brother and cousin to know their family won't give up on justice.
“That we love them. That they meant the world to us and we won’t stop looking or trying," Shikenjanski said.
Anyone with information about what happened at the party that night is asked to contact Silent Witness at 480-Witness.
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