Suspect still at large 3 years after father gunned down at Phoenix apartment

GLENDALE, Ariz. - A Glendale family is still waiting for an arrest three years after a brutal murder.

The backstory:

Michael Anthony Amarillas was shot and killed in his apartment near 35th Avenue and U.S. 60 on March 15, 2023. Police are still searching for the person responsible. According to investigators, the suspect shot the 45-year-old before leaving the scene in a silver Jeep.

What we know:

On Sunday, his family marked the painful third anniversary of his death. They are still seeking justice and answers, holding onto hope that someone knows something about the case.

"It’s like a nightmare. It’s awful. It’s horrible. They took a big part of us that day when they decided to take him from us," his sister Denise said.

The suspect is described as a Hispanic or Native American man, between 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-10, weighing 200 to 240 pounds. Police said he was wearing a white construction helmet at the time of the murder.

What they're saying:

Now three years later, Michael's mother, Teresa Moreno, is still pleading for answers.

"I have no closure. I’ve been living like this for three years," Moreno said. "I have no idea who did this, why they did this, and they got away. I’m just hoping that someone out there—within that whole area which was a big area—saw him maybe drive away, saw him jump off the stairs, saw him run. Anything helps."

His family says they have been left in the dark about his death.

"I feel like until we find out who it is and bring justice – there’s no closure at all," Denise said. "Everybody that knew him loved him. I don’t know one person that did not like him and that’s why it’s so hard for us to grasp how this happened, or who did this to him."

Dig deeper:

On the date of his death, Michael's family returns to his graveside, fighting to keep his memory and his case alive.

"We get together to remember him. Not so much what happened to him or how he passed away but more about his life that he lived. That he mattered," his mother said. 

What you can do:

Anyone with information is encouraged to call Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS. 

For more information surrounding the case and the $2,000 reward, click here. 

Map of the area of the 2023 murder location.