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Phoenix victim's sister: Serial killer has to "pay for what he did"

Phoenix serial killings
Phoenix fears new attacks amid serial killer manhunt 02:34

Police are hunting for a serial killer terrorizing the Phoenix area.

Since March, nine people have been shot within about a 50-square mile area of Phoenix. Seven have died. Investigators believe all of the attacks are connected.

Phoenix police hunting for suspected serial killer 01:56

Authorities aren't sure whether it's one person or a group of people behind the crimes, but they're determined to catch whomever is responsible, reports CBS News correspondent Carter Evans.

Dossie Ellis Sr.' daughter, Stefanie, and 12-year-old granddaughter, Maleah, were shot and killed right on his driveway in June.

"They walked clean to the front of it, and looked through the windshield," Ellis recounted.

"And that's when they opened fire?" Carter asked.

"That's when they opened fire," he responded.

Their friend, Angela Linner, was also a victim.

"Fourteen bullets in my daughter. Twelve bullets in my granddaughter. Eight bullets in the other girl. That's thirty-four bullets," Ellis said.

Police released a sketch of a suspect but not much else.

"This guy has to get off the street and pay for what he did," said Nancy Pena, who lost her twin brother, Horacio.

ctm0714horacio-nancy-pena.jpg
Twins Horacio and Nancy Pena

"So you're still trying to cope with the loss of your brother, but at the same time, you're afraid that this could happen to you," Carter said.

"Yeah, they've not only taken my twin brother, but they've taken my sense of security away so they have many other victims along with just the ones that passed away," Pena said.

Evidence points to the same shooter or shooters. Victims have been shot at night, many outside of their homes with the killer using a handgun, arriving and departing in a sedan.

"It clearly meets the definition of a serial shooter," Phoenix police Sgt. Jonathan Howard said.

He said there doesn't seem to be any pattern to the victims.

"Right now, we have not determined a motive in any one of these eight incidents. We haven't found any relationship between our victims," Howard responded.

Stefanie Ellis' mother hopes justice for her daughter's killer will help her family move forward. "Where do you go from here?" Carter asked.

"Who knows? I really don't know," she said, choking up.

Police said they haven't had another shooting they've been able to connect to these crimes since June 12. There are dozens of investigators working on the case, and authorities have stepped up patrols in the neighborhoods most at risk.

A reward of up to $30,000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest.

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