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To those who knew him, David Bessent was a fixture in Downtown Phoenix’s arts community — someone who never hesitated to take the time to help out a fellow artist.

Bessent, 41, was for the first time working toward creating his own full-fledged body of work when his life was cut short in early October.

Phoenix police said Wednesday they had arrested two suspects in the murder of Bessent and his co-worker, Zachary Walter, 24, who were gunned down while walking in Roosevelt Row after their shifts at Jobot Coffee & Bar.

Antonio Palafox-Zermeno, 16, and Castulo Cervantes, 15, were arrested on suspicion of killing the two men during an attempted robbery. Police are still searching for more accomplices.

Jo-Ann Lowney co-owns Gallery 119, which will host the free exhibition honoring David Bessent during Phoenix’s next Third Friday, Sept. 20, from 6 to 10 p.m. Lowney said the event will celebrate Bessent’s life and work, which includes illustrations and cartoons as well as abstract paintings.

Organizers also hope the event will bring attention to gun violence.

“We are hoping to raise awareness about an emerging artist who will never emerge because of gun violence and the need for gun control in this country,” Lowney wrote in an email to The Arizona Republic.

Before his murder, Bessent was creating what colleagues described as “his life’s work” in an art studio that he’d rented for two years from Clarke Riedy, a prominent local sculptor.

Riedy, who has sculpted local public art works like the Arizona Workers Memorial/El Pasaje near the state capitol, said Bessent possessed a robust talent for several different art forms. He was a cartoonist, illustrator and graphic novelist. And in Riedy’s large studio space, Bessent brought about 27 large, abstract expressionist pieces to life.

“His work was scattered among many different storage spaces. People’s garages and outbuildings and sheds and so on,” Riedy said. “And so we began collecting the work, and his sketchbooks, particularly. And [we] wound up with 50 sketchbooks or thereabouts.”

Some of Bessent’s sketchbooks, along with the large abstract pieces and illustrations, will be on display at the exhibition. The event will also serve as a way to bring attention to the idea Riedy and other collaborators have for a foundation named after Bessent, which would provide resources and programs to emerging artists.

“The idea of a foundation to carry on in the spirit of a gentleman like himself is just a no-brainer. It’s just something that should happen,” Riedy said.

Local artist Catie Cotter, one of Bessent’s best friends, is also helping to plan the event and foundation. She said that at least for now, none of Bessent’s work will be for sale.

“If [someone] were to purchase a painting, we’d want you to know what it represents and what you’re doing with your money,” Cotter said.

If and when a David Bessent foundation does evolve, all proceeds from any sales of his work would go directly to the foundation, Cotter said.

Regarding the recent arrest of two of Bessent’s alleged killers, Cotter expressed a resigned kind of sadness.

“When I was growing up I had friends killed on my block,” said Cotter, who grew up in Maryvale. “It’s just life, and nothing changes the fact that he’s gone.”

But Cotter said instead of staying angry, she is channeling her feelings into helping keep Bessent’s memory alive.

“[David] had a lot of faith in humanity, and he would talk about it all the time. So that’s what I’m doing,” Cotter said. “I don’t want to push it anywhere else.”

Arizona Republic reporter Alexa Fuenmayor contributed to this report.

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The two men were fatally shot near Third Avenue and Roosevelt Street around 3:30 a.m. while walking home from their jobs at a nearby coffee house.
Alyssa Williams, azcentral

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