Summary
Overview
This Crime Junkie episode investigates the 2020 murder of Nick Cordova, who was shot execution-style at his HVAC business in Gilbert, Arizona. His wife Alicia witnessed the attack via FaceTime with their children and immediately suspected Nick's business partner Dave Sweetman was involved. Despite surveillance footage showing two masked suspects, an $8 million insurance policy, suspicious behavior patterns, and six years of investigation, no arrests have been made. The case reveals troubling questions about the Gilbert Police Department's handling of evidence and Alicia's relentless pursuit of justice.
The Fatal FaceTime Call
On May 27, 2020, Alicia Cordova's children were on FaceTime with their father Nick when they heard a bang and he stopped responding. What Alicia witnessed on that call launched her into a six-year fight for justice. The 911 call captured her panic as she heard moaning and saw movement through the phone, while her husband lay dying at his office. When she arrived at the scene, police delivered devastating news that would change everything.
- Five-year-old Capri reported something was wrong with dad during a FaceTime call at 5:30 PM
- Alicia heard screaming and thought she saw a gun or black glove during the FaceTime call
- Dave Sweetman, Nick's business partner, was at the scene and handed police a bloody gun
- Nick's body was blocking the front door with a bullet hole in his left cheek
" I'm on FaceTime with my husband. My kids are FaceTiming. Someone came in and started, like, deeding him. I think they haven't got it. "
" I'm sorry to tell you, your husband's dead. "
The Crime Scene and Dave's Suspicious Story
Police found a chaotic scene at Gilbert Air with signs of struggle throughout the office. Dave Sweetman told officers two Hispanic men in green shirts came to sell Freon, but his story immediately began to fall apart. He claimed the robbers took everything he had, yet police found over $1,000 cash in his left pocket. The surveillance footage showed the execution-style shooting but raised more questions than answers about Dave's involvement and behavior during the attack.
- Dave handed police his bloody gun through a crack in the door saying 'I'm his partner. That's my gun. I'm sorry.'
- Police found Nick's desk pushed out of place, money scattered, a human tooth, and bullet holes throughout the office
- Dave claimed robbers took all his money, but police found over $1,000 in his front left pocket during pat-down
- Surveillance showed two suspects arrived at 5:31 PM and left at 5:31 PM in a red and silver Ford F-150
" I'm his partner. Two guys came in here. Two guys came in here. They left. They ran. "
" They didn't take all my money. I only gave the suspects the money in my front right pocket. "
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