By admin 
GILBERT, AZ — June 4, 2022, is a day the Hansen family will remember forever.
It’s the day they lost 19-year-old Rachel Hansen.
“It’s four years on the fourth, so that just really hit me”, said Rachel’s mom, Kim Hansen.
Read more Alabama family pleads for return of son missing on family trip in Japan
The lack of answers in Rachel’s murder and the date pushed the teen’s family to take action.
The 19-year-old’s loved ones decided to hold a news conference, pleading to the public to help solve the case.
Watch the news conference in the video player below.
Murdered in Gilbert
It’s now been four years since Rachel was shot and killed inside her gated Gilbert apartment, near San Tan Village Parkway and Williams Field Road.
The report, along with body camera footage from the night of the shooting, is heavily redacted.
The video is covered by a blur, and the audio from conversations with neighbors can’t be heard.
The report does reveal certain aspects of Gilbert’s investigation, along with areas of Rachel’s life that investigators looked into.
At the time of her death, Rachel’s job at a local ranch abruptly ended. The police report details personal struggles Rachel was having in the days and months leading up to the shooting.
Police note that in April 2022, Rachel called to report an alleged threat made by her fiancé’s dad.
Then, just days before the teen was shot and killed, she moved back into the apartment she had been subletting. On June 2, 2022, the report says Rachel woke up to “someone opening her bedroom door and looking in at her.”
On the counter, Rachel said she found a jar of pickles she had not purchased.
Unreleased records
Rachel’s parents have questions about what they saw when they went back to the apartment, who investigators talked to during the investigation, and why certain records haven’t been released.
Those records include the 911 call audio and the medical examiner’s report.
The Hansen family has been working with private investigator Justin Yentes, who has taken on the case pro bono.
Read more Everest cleaning crew discovers crawling Sherpa in stunning survival story
“We need this info,” said Yentes. “We need additional information from the community.”
Both the Hansen family and Yentes believe the key to solving Rachel’s case lies with the public.
Rachel’s murder has gotten local and even national attention, but often the Hansen family meets people who don’t know her story.
That’s why they continue to speak out, to spread awareness.
For a special episode of our streaming series Arizona Crime Uncovered, our team sat down with Rachel’s mom and Yentes.
The ABC15 Investigators also pushed for answers regarding why the county and police have not released certain records.
The hope is that the Hansen family is just one tip away from finally getting answers.
There is a $20,000 Silent Witness reward being offered in Rachel’s case.
Gilbert police were invited to Thursday’s press conference. ABC15 reached out to the department with questions regarding their attendance and follow-up questions from the family.
The police department did send ABC15 a statement about the case ahead of the scheduled event.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office also sent a statement regarding the ME’s report.
STATEMENT FROM GILBERT POLICE
“As we approach the fourth anniversary of Rachel Hansen’s death, we continue to actively investigate her case. Our detectives have thoroughly pursued all evidence and leads and continue to do so. Our thoughts are with Rachel’s family and loved ones, who have never stopped fighting to keep her story alive and see those responsible held accountable.
While the active investigation limits what we can share publicly at this time, we cannot stress enough how important it is for anyone with any information, no matter how small, to come forward and report it. Tips can be submitted anonymously to our partners at Silent Witness by calling 480-WITNESS or 480-TESTIGO. A $20,000 reward is available for information leading to an arrest.
We have previously released a redacted transcript of the 911 call Rachel made after she was critically injured in her apartment. Consistent with A.H. Belo Corp. v. Mesa Police Department, the audio recording has not been released, as we have determined that releasing the audio recording could jeopardize our investigation and potential future prosecution(s). Rachel’s privacy interests outweigh the public interest in disclosure, and we are concerned with the irreparable harm and trauma that listeners of such an audio recording could experience.
Our goal remains unchanged: justice for Rachel and her family and accountability for those responsible.” – Brenda Carrasco, Marketing and Communications Officer for Gilbert Police Dept.
STATEMENT FROM MCAO ON MEDICAL EXAMINER’S REPORT
“Each case reviewed by this office presents its own unique set of facts, evidence, and circumstances. To protect the integrity of an ongoing investigation, certain information must, at times, remain confidential. Our foremost responsibility is to safeguard information that could assist in identifying a suspect, advancing the investigation, or ultimately leading to an arrest.
While we recognize and respect the public’s interest in information contained within particular documents, our primary obligation is to preserve the investigative process and protect information that may be critical to achieving a successful outcome. In fulfilling that duty, we must carefully balance the public’s right to know with the need to ensure the effectiveness and integrity of the investigation.”
Want to watch more Arizona Crime Uncovered? Check out our previous episodes below:
Read more Someone stole Maurizio Cattelan’s notorious banana artwork — and the museum isn’t amused