Resignation letter reveals years of issues in Goodyear PD’s evidence unit

GOODYEAR, AZ — The Goodyear Police Department has major issues tracking evidence, and it has now led to a mistrial in a child murder case.

Now, new internal documents filed in court say that everyone up the chain of command knew about the problems for years.

The ABC15 Investigators obtained the records that include a resignation letter from the now former property and evidence supervisor, Andrea Gamez.

She claims in her letter that she is the one being blamed by her own department for the evidence issues. Gamez sent her resignation letter last month.

Her three-page document cites lack of training and support as one of the reasons for her resignation.

She also said there were “significant and ongoing issues” during their most recent software upgrade that impacted the property and evidence unit, along with others in the department.

Gamez acknowledged that she was not the only employee to report concerns, saying that she and her prior supervisor tried repeatedly to inform upper command staff.

Her resignation is the latest in a growing scandal, and it’s now playing a big role in a murder trial.

“I think the Gamez letter kind of changed the ball game for us,” said Taylor Fox in court.

Fox is one of the defense attorneys for Germayne and Lisa Cunningham. The couple is accused of murdering their seven-year-old daughter, Sanaa, in 2017.

ABC15

After five months, their trial was shut down because of the evidence issues. The problems could even cause the case to be dismissed for good.

At a basic level, Goodyear police can’t prove “chain of custody” going back years.

The ABC15 Investigators broke the story in March as the Cunningham’s case was first suspended indefinitely.

Judge Patricia Starr declared a mistrial and released the jury in April.

“I do find a new trial is needed in this case, because we still have the issues regarding Goodyear’s property and evidence,” said Judge Starr.

Gamez’s resignation letter also said the issues she and others saw were reported to the former police chief, Santiago Rodriguez, but claims “no action was taken”.

She also wrote that a former employee took concerns to the city manager and union president, but “these efforts did not result in any observable changes or intervention”.

The ABC15 Investigators also reviewed other internal documents, including a list of concerns written by a second former employee in May 2024.

That letter also details problems like new officers not knowing how to “properly enter” evidence into their system or package evidence.

“Her letter is one of two former employee letters that describes that these issues were well documented for years,” said Fox.

Despite these internal documents, the Goodyear Police Department and the current police chief pushed back on their knowledge about the issues in separate statements to ABC15.

Police and maybe even prosecutors will have to answer questions under oath at an evidentiary hearing for the Cunningham case later this month.

STATEMENT FROM THE DEPARTMENT

“We are aware of the concerns raised in the documents you referenced. Because this matter is connected to an active criminal case that is still moving through evidentiary hearings, we must be careful not to discuss specific details that could impact the judicial process or any related proceedings.

What I can share is that the current administration was made aware of concerns related to property and evidence on January 14, 2026, and immediate action was taken.

An internal inventory audit was completed on January 30, 2026, and found a 99.99% accuracy rate across more than 54,000 pieces of property and evidence. In addition, an independent administrative investigation was conducted by the Chandler Police Department. We have also retained an external firm to perform a comprehensive review of our property and evidence processes. That review is underway and in its final stages.

We have been fully transparent with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and the prosecutors involved to ensure they have all relevant information.

Since these concerns were identified to this administration, the department has implemented additional safeguards consistent with best practices. A follow‑up internal inventory is also underway to ensure these improvements are effective and sustainable.
While we cannot speak to prior administrations, we can say that once these issues were brought to the attention of current leadership, they were addressed promptly and continue to be taken seriously.

The Goodyear Police Department remains committed to accountability, transparency, and safeguarding the integrity of the judicial process. We are also deeply mindful that this case centers on the tragic loss of 7-year-old Sanaa Cunningham, whose life was taken far too soon. Ensuring that the judicial process proceeds properly and that justice for Sanaa is fully pursued remains a priority for this department. Due to the ongoing proceedings, we will not be participating in interviews on this topic at this time in order to avoid any potential impact on the court process.

If circumstances allow for additional information to be released at a later time, we will do so.”

STATEMENT FROM CHIEF ISSITT

“When I first learned about the potential issues that were identified by our detective in the handling of property and evidence, I was deeply concerned. I immediately implemented a plan to address the issues that were brought to my attention.

Since becoming Chief of the Goodyear Police Department in August 2024, I have made, and will continue to make, difficult decisions to drive meaningful change.

That includes strengthening processes, increasing oversight, and holding individuals accountable when they fall short of the standards this profession demands.

The integrity of our work depends on precision, accountability, and trust at every step, and I have zero tolerance for failures that compromise that trust.

I accepted this role to lead with integrity and to ensure this department operates at the highest standard. We owe our residents nothing less than a system they can rely on—one that is committed to fairness, accountability, and justice.”