Hipolito Casiano Mateos

To his many loyal listeners on Salt Lake City’s La Mexicana 730 AM, he was “Chico Moderno,” the popular radio DJ whose voice filled their mornings. To his family, Hipolito Casiano Mateos was a man who made others laugh, a beloved father to his two young children, April and Cruz. At 28 years old, the man known for his on-air personality was building a life for his family and had no known enemies. That life came to a violent and sudden end in the pre-dawn darkness of a Monday morning, leaving a void in his community and a case that has puzzled investigators for years.

On September 30, 2002, just after 6:00 a.m., Hipolito, a male, left his home at 1985 Sir Charles Drive to head to work at the radio station. As he walked through his own driveway toward his car, he was ambushed. An unknown assailant advanced on him and fired multiple shots, killing him instantly before he could even start his day. The sound of the gunfire pierced the quiet morning, and witnesses who looked out saw a figure fleeing the scene. The person was described as a man wearing a dark, hooded sweatshirt, who may have escaped in a dark-colored vehicle that had been parked nearby with its engine running, ready for a quick departure.

The Salt Lake City Police Department launched an immediate and intensive investigation into the shocking murder. Detectives struggled to find a motive for the killing of a man described by all as a friend to everyone. There was no evidence to suggest Hipolito was involved in any criminal activity. Instead, a troubling theory emerged. Investigators believe the assailant may have met Hipolito at a party in the nearby city of Ogden the week before the shooting. Police theorize the killer was involved in the drug trade and mistakenly came to believe that Hipolito had learned information that could compromise his illegal activities. However, the investigation has never uncovered any indication that Hipolito had such knowledge.

For years, the case grew colder, leaving Hipolito’s family with unanswered questions and the haunting knowledge that his killer remained free. His children were very young when he was killed, but his sister, Guadalupe Gonzales, said they still remembered him. In September 2009, on the seventh anniversary of the murder, the Salt Lake City Police Department launched a new cold case initiative and chose Hipolito’s case as the first to be highlighted. Police Chief Chris Burbank and Detective Mike Hamideh presented the case to the public, hoping that new media and social networking sites could generate fresh leads.

At the press conference announcing the initiative, Hipolito’s family pleaded for help. "We're still waiting for justice, and I know it's going to come soon," his sister Guadalupe said. "Somebody out there knows something. With their help, we can find the shooter." She urged anyone with information, particularly those in the Hispanic community who may have been afraid to speak up, to come forward, assuring them they would not have to worry about their immigration status. "In the first or second year, I thought that it was going to be resolved, but nothing," she told reporters. "It's been way too long."

Despite the renewed push and the family's heartfelt appeals, no arrests have ever been made. The case remains a haunting priority for investigators. As one detective noted, while every homicide is horrible, this one was particularly "egregious." The theory of a tragic and fatal misunderstanding leaves a particularly painful legacy for a family who lost a man known for bringing joy to others.

As of November 2026, the murder of Hipolito Casiano Mateos remains unsolved and is still listed as a cold case by the Salt Lake City Police Department. A reward of $5,000 is offered for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for his death. Police continue to ask anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to contact the Salt Lake City Police Department at 801-799-INFO (4636).