Family, private investigator work to keep Gilbert murder case from going cold

GILBERT, AZ (AZFamily) — A Gilbert mother is taking new steps in her search for answers more than two years after her 19-year-old daughter was murdered.

There are no suspects and no arrests. The family is now working with a private investigator to keep the case from going cold.

“Literally, in two years, we are no closer to answers than we were in the beginning,” said Kim Hansen.

On June 4, 2022, two days before Rachel Hansen moved back into her apartment that she had been subleasing out, Gilbert police say she called 911 and reported an “unknown person” shot her while she was sleeping. Rachel was rushed to the hospital but later died.

“I think anything is possible and I think everything should be looked into and investigated and maybe dug into a little deeper than has ever been done,” Hansen said.

In a statement, police say the case continues to be the utmost priority for the Gilbert Police Department.

However, Rachel’s mom wants answers and is now working with private investigator Justin Yentes. “Right now, I would like to gather as much information as possible and see what all of the leads that we can work with turn out to be,” said Yentes.

Silent Witness is offering up to $7,000 for information in the case.

“The more communication we have in different areas in the community, maybe something will come up that hasn’t been known or somebody didn’t think it mattered or wasn’t relevant, maybe it did,” said Hansen.

Yentes and Hansen say they want the community’s engagement in generating new information or leads.

“I’m hoping that folks who have not been interviewed yet and folks who haven’t spoken to police yet will come forward if they know about problems that Rachel was having, either with her employer, other people, ex-boyfriends, other friends,” Yentes said. “There are a lot of contacts that she had that we just don’t have all of the information about.”

The family’s GoFundMe account was originally meant to pay for hiring a private investigator. However, Yentes took this case on at no charge.

Instead, the money collected will be used to pay for any forensics needed in the investigation.

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