July 22, 2011 Two teenagers charged in murder of 78 year old Phoenix man www.privateofficer.com
Phoenix AX July 22 2011 Two 17-year-old boys have been arrested in connection with the slaying of an older man found dead in Sand Lily Park early Wednesday morning.
The two teenagers are the only suspects in the killing of Milton Raffle, 78, a Phoenix grandfather who helped family and neighbors as well as strangers, according to the Phoenix Police Department.
Police provided no other details late Wednesday on the arrests. Because the suspects are juveniles, The Arizona Republic is not printing their identities at this time.
Raffle left his home near Charter Oak Road and Columbine Drive, a place he lived for nearly 40 years, at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday to walk – one of his favorite activities.
A witness found the Korean War veteran in Sand Lily Park near 24th Avenue and Cactus Road after midnight unconscious and unresponsive from severe trauma, according to the Phoenix Police Department.
At about 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, Milton, surrounded by his wife, four sons and one of his grandchildren, died from his injuries.
“Dad was the type of person that if someone said, ‘Give me your money,’ he would say, ‘What do you need?’ ” said Beau Raffle, Milton’s youngest son. “There isn’t anyone on earth who would want to hurt him.”
Milton used to run every night for years, Beau said, until his knees couldn’t take it anymore. Then he started walking every night.
Recently, because he looked out for the entire family, he often ran out of time or energy at the end of the day. But he still made time to walk once or twice a week.
Beau said it was how he cleared his head.
When he went on his walks, he would sometimes take money to give to homeless people he met along his route.
Many of them he knew by name.
Tuesday night, before Milton left for his final walk, he gave his wife, Gail, 75, her final shot of blood-thinning medication.
She recently finished chemotherapy for colon cancer, which she was re-diagnosed with about one year ago, and was happy she didn’t have to get any more shots.
The Raffle family – four sons, four grandchildren, Milton and his wife – all lived within five minutes of one other. They were often in and out of Milton’s home, and once every couple weeks they would meet as a family.
They used to have dinner every Friday, but Beau said those “started getting too exciting.”
In the mornings, he would drive the youngest, who is 9, to karate class.
“Dad was the support that kept the family going,” Beau said. “With him gone, it’s going to be a rough few weeks as we adjust to the family without him.”
The question the family has as they pick up the pieces is why. No one can think of why he would be attacked.
“These are the kind of homicides that should shock the community,” said Sgt. Tommy Thompson, a spokesman for the Phoenix Police Department. “It should bother them.”
Source:www.azcentral.com
Tags: Milton Raffle, Two teenagers charged in murder of 78 year old Phoenix man
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