One year has passed since 16-year-old Joseph Aroz was tragically gunned down in his Coachella neighborhood, but his murder remains unsolved. Despite ongoing investigations, no suspects have been named, and no arrests have been made, leaving his grieving family desperate for answers and justice.
Joseph, affectionately known as “Jojo,” was shot and killed on a Sunday evening, just outside his family’s home during Tropical Storm Hilary. The sudden and violent loss has left his family devastated, and they continue to seek closure in the wake of this tragedy.
Aroz was one of eight children in his family, and his loss has deeply affected those who knew and loved him. In the days following his death, a GoFundMe page was created to help cover his memorial and funeral expenses. “On August 20th we lost our beloved Jojo, he was only 16 years old. Jojo was loved by all of us, by so many…our world will never be the same,” reads the heartfelt message on the page, capturing the immense grief his family continues to endure.
According to his stepmother, Jessica, the night Joseph was killed, a neighbor knocked on their door, reporting that he had heard several gunshots. The family was shocked to discover that Joseph had been the victim of this senseless act of violence.
Despite the passage of time, the investigation into Joseph’s murder remains active, and his family is pleading with the community for any information that could lead to the identification and arrest of his killer. They urge anyone with knowledge of the incident to come forward and assist law enforcement in bringing justice to Joseph’s memory.
News Channel Three’s Tori King reached out to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department for an update on the case. While the department has yet to announce any new leads, they continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Joseph’s death.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department is asking anyone with information about the murder to contact Investigator Sturhmann at the Thermal Station at 760-863-8990 or Investigator Brown with the Central Homicide Unit at 951-955-2777.
As the family of Joseph Aroz marks the somber one-year anniversary of his death, they hold onto hope that someone will come forward with the crucial information needed to solve the case. The memory of Jojo lives on in the hearts of his loved ones, who remain determined to see justice served.