Richard Wren

Richard Daniel Wren, known to his loved ones as Danny, was a protective and loyal man remembered for his warm, outgoing personality. The 31-year-old White / Caucasian man was the youngest child and only son in his family. He attended Washington High School in Phoenix, Arizona, where he played both baseball and football. As an adult, he developed a passion for mixed martial arts, a sport he pursued with the same dedication he applied to everything in life. His mother, Sharon Wren, described him as a serious person who was willing to do anything for anyone. He had expressed an interest in becoming a nurse and was saving money to start his own business. In 2015, he was eagerly awaiting the birth of his first child with his girlfriend, Kalina Lowe.

The life Danny was building was cut short on the night of Wednesday, September 9, 2015. At around 10 p.m., a dispute erupted between him and his neighbor, 30-year-old Anthony Marks, in the parking lot of their apartment complex near Seventh Street and Greenway Parkway in north Phoenix. The argument reportedly began when Wren confronted Marks about a recent burglary at his apartment, although investigators stated there was no evidence Marks was involved. The confrontation escalated, and Wren allegedly used pepper spray on Marks.

The argument seemed to end, but a few minutes later, Marks returned with a gun. In front of Wren’s seven-month-pregnant girlfriend, Marks opened fire, shooting and killing Wren in the parking lot. Kalina Lowe witnessed the entire event. After the shooting, Marks fled the scene, leaving a grieving family and a community in shock. Phoenix Police officers responded to a call about the shooting and found Wren deceased.

The Phoenix Police Department immediately launched a homicide investigation. Detectives identified Anthony Marks as the suspect, but he had already disappeared. For three months, Marks remained a fugitive, his whereabouts unknown. The case was featured by Silent Witness as police sought clues from the public. Wren's family held a vigil, lighting candles and releasing balloons to honor his memory. His mother made a public plea for help, asking anyone with information to come forward. "Please, will you call Silent Witness?" Sharon Wren asked. "He killed my son."

The search for Anthony Marks became a multi-agency effort involving the Phoenix Police and the U.S. Marshals Service. The investigation eventually led authorities to believe that Marks had fled across the country to the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, area. In December 2015, three months after the murder, U.S. Marshals located Marks. As they moved in to make the arrest, Marks attempted to flee out a back door but was quickly captured.

Anthony Marks was arrested and booked on suspicion of homicide and aggravated assault. He was held in Pennsylvania while awaiting extradition back to Arizona to face the charges against him. His capture brought a measure of relief to Wren’s family, who had been living in uncertainty since the night of the shooting.

Richard Wren never had the chance to meet his daughter. Kalina Lowe later gave birth to a baby girl, whom she named Dani Rose in memory of the father she would never know. "My daughter has to live without her father," Lowe said. The family continues to mourn the loss of a man they remember as a loving partner, a future father, a cherished son, and a loyal friend who put everything he had into the things he cared about.