Murder suspect interrogated for 6 hours before police realize he's been shot in the face

In 2006, a tragic and shocking incident occurred when Ryan Waller and his girlfriend Heather Quan were victims of a violent break-in at their Phoenix apartment. The assailants, Ritchie Carver and his father Larry Carver, broke in while a roommate was absent. When Ryan answered the doorbell and realized trouble was brewing, he tried to shut the door, but Ritchie shot him in the head twice. Ritchie then went on to shoot Heather dead on the couch.

The motive for the break-in remains unclear, with various theories suggesting a dispute, advances towards Heather, or theft of belongings. To make matters worse, the police suspected Ryan of being guilty of the murder.

Ryan's parents became worried when he didn't show up for Christmas dinner, prompting them to visit the apartment. They found Heather dead and Ryan seriously injured but still alive. Ryan was unable to remember the events, and the police took him in for interrogation when he urgently needed medical attention.

Despite his injuries, the police didn't believe him and refused to provide medical assistance during the interrogation. It was only hours later that he was finally taken to the hospital, where doctors informed his father that he had an infection that could have been prevented with timely care.

Ryan spent 35 days in the hospital, but he lost some of his brain, his left eye, and suffered from seizures for years. These seizures eventually led to his death in 2007.

The actual culprits, Ritchie and Larry Carver, were eventually brought to justice. Ritchie received a life sentence without parole, and in 2013, after a lengthy legal process, Larry was also sentenced to life in prison.

Ryan's father sued the Phoenix Police Department, and the interrogator who dealt with Ryan was charged with evidence tampering and fabricating stories related to the case. This case is a tragic and disturbing example of a wrongful assumption of guilt and a failure to provide timely medical care to an innocent victim. For the full story, you can read it on the UNILAD website.