Three men are suspected of fatally shooting a Phoenix travel agent during an apparent afternoon robbery at her office. The woman was found after collapsing, bleeding, outside a Carl’s Jr. near her office in the 2700 block of West Thomas Road. She died at a nearby hospital.
Justin Volckmann, whose family owns Arrow Pawn and Jewelry in the plaza, said the victim had just moved to a new office in the same complex to save several hundred dollars a month on rent in the struggling economy.
Volckmann said he affectionately called the victim "the most beautiful woman in the world" because she always dressed well and seemed to take pride in her business, which catered to the Spanish-speaking community. Plaza business owners briefly hired an armed security guard. But the service didn’t last.
"It makes me wonder if I was still in charge of that guy if he would have been here that day," Volckmann said. "It was tragic she was there by herself."
Witnesses reported seeing two of the men flee in a silver minivan after the Sunday afternoon shooting. A third man ran from the scene, according to police.
Source: Arizona Republic
