Miguel Angel Orozco

Miguel Angel Orozco, a 32-year-old Hispanic man known for his warm smile and passion for cars, was a beloved presence in his Las Vegas community. A member of the "Desirable Ones Car Club," he was often found in his garage, happily working on his Chevy Impala or another vehicle. Neighbors remembered him as a good guy, a friendly and watchful presence who always kept an eye on the people around him. His life, filled with the camaraderie of his car club and the love of his friends, was violently cut short in the pre-dawn hours of February 16, 2015.

The tragic morning unfolded at approximately 4:45 a.m. at Miguel’s home in the 6400 block of Gunderson Boulevard, near Torrey Pines Drive and Harmon Avenue. He was in his garage, working on a car with his roommate, when a 1999 black Mercedes SUV pulled up. The driver was 30-year-old Julio Rodriguez, a man described by police as an acquaintance of Miguel's. The two men began to argue, their voices escalating into a shouting match. Miguel walked from his garage toward the SUV, and at that moment, Rodriguez produced a handgun.

As multiple shots were fired, Miguel turned and ran from the vehicle, but he was struck by the gunfire. He was rushed to University Medical Center, where he succumbed to a gunshot wound to the left side of his chest. The sudden violence shattered the quiet of the neighborhood, leaving friends and family in shock and grief. A fellow car club member posted on Facebook, "With a deeply saddened heart we mourn the passing of our brother today. He always had a smile on his face and was always the life of the party."

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department immediately launched a homicide investigation, quickly identifying Julio Rodriguez as the primary suspect. Detectives believed the shooting was not random or gang-related but stemmed from a prior altercation between the two men. A neighbor later told reporters he was positive he had seen Rodriguez's distinctive Mercedes scoping out the neighborhood the day before the shooting. Police released a description of Rodriguez as being 5-feet-6-inches tall, weighing 170 pounds, with close-cropped dark hair and brown eyes. They also noted his SUV had large chrome rims, tinted windows, and possibly California license plates.

In the days following the murder, an active search was underway for Rodriguez and an unidentified male passenger who was in the SUV with him. Law enforcement issued a public warning that Rodriguez should be considered armed and dangerous and urged anyone with information to come forward. A reward was offered for tips leading to an arrest through Crime Stoppers.

Despite the immediate identification of a suspect and a public call for assistance, the search for Julio Rodriguez went cold. Years have passed since Miguel Orozco’s death, and there have been no public announcements of an arrest or capture. The case remains a painful, unanswered question for his loved ones and the community that remembers him so fondly.

As of the latest available information, the homicide of Miguel Angel Orozco is considered unsolved, and a warrant for the arrest of Julio Rodriguez is presumed to be outstanding. The investigation remains open with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Julio Rodriguez or any details regarding the shooting is urged to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section at 702-828-3521 or, to remain anonymous, Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555.