On the evening of May 27, 2020, 40-year-old Gilbert business owner Nicholas Cordova was killed by a gunshot wound while at his office for Gilbert Air. He was on a FaceTime call with his two young children when the call abruptly showed an apparent assault and then the screen went white; his wife Alysha heard muffled noises and yelling and called 911. Officers found Cordova deceased at the business at 511 West Guadalupe Road.

The scene and witness accounts were chaotic. Business partner David Sweetman told police two men entered, one knocked him unconscious and the other shot Cordova in what Sweetman called a robbery, though a large amount of cash reportedly remained at the scene. Surveillance showed two men in bright construction-style clothing chasing Cordova out of his office and shooting him, then fleeing in a two-tone red and silver Ford F-150. A nearby ARCO camera captured images of a stocky man about 5 feet 8 inches believed to be one suspect; that individual has not been identified and no arrests have been announced.

Cordova’s family has pushed to keep the case in the public eye; his widow Alysha launched the Noise for Nick campaign, the family has appealed at town council meetings, and, with Silent Witness, has offered a reward for information. Anyone who knew Cordova, observed the truck, or has information about the men seen on surveillance is urged to come forward.