Jacques Billeaud

Arizona Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs selected John Giles, the former Republican mayor of Mesa, as her running mate for the state’s first lieutenant governor election. Giles switched to independent in May but has criticized Donald Trump and supported Democratic candidates, making his selection an effort to attract conservative and independent voters as Republicans widen their registration advantage. Republican nominee Andy Biggs, a far-right congressman, chose former state lawmaker Sine Kerr as his running mate and criticized Giles’s ties to Kamala Harris. The new lieutenant governor role begins in January under a voter-approved succession measure, replacing the secretary of state as next in line.

Preston Tolth, the last person known to have seen Navajo elder Ella Mae Begay alive and the only person convicted in connection with her 2021 disappearance, faces a burglary charge in Phoenix. He had been released from federal prison early and placed in transitional housing, despite supervised-release conditions barring new crimes and dangerous weapons. His arrest, along with reported alcohol-related violations and an active federal warrant, could send him back to prison. Begay’s family expressed frustration and a lack of justice or closure in her still-unsolved disappearance.

No criminal charges will be filed against the parents of an 18-month-old Arizona toddler who was found unresponsive in a family pool, pronounced dead at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, and discovered breathing about five hours later in a hospital morgue area. Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said prosecutors were unlikely to secure a conviction because the home had child-safety measures, several adults were present, and there was no evidence the parents were impaired. Police records reportedly showed officers observed possible signs of life multiple times before the child was moved to the morgue; the toddler was later transferred to another hospital and survived. The hospital said it conducted a review, while the doctor involved declined to comment beyond a statement from his attorney.

Andy Biggs won Arizona’s Republican gubernatorial primary with backing from Donald Trump and Turning Point Action, defeating David Schweikert and setting up a general‑election contest with Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs. Democrats plan to focus on Biggs’ involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Several other Trump-endorsed candidates secured nominations across key statewide and congressional races, while competitive Democratic primaries unfolded in the 1st Congressional District. The results shape a high‑stakes election cycle in a pivotal swing state, with control of major statewide offices and congressional seats at stake.

An 18-month-old boy pulled from a pool in Gilbert, Arizona, was pronounced dead at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center but was found breathing roughly five hours later in a hospital morgue room. He was transferred to another hospital, survived, and was eventually released, though he reportedly needs extensive therapy. Police recommended negligence charges against his parents, citing marijuana odor in the home and pool access through open doors; prosecutors are reviewing the case. The hospital said it conducted a thorough review, while the doctor’s lawyer argued that important factual and medical details had not yet been reported. The incident is compared with a 2020 Michigan case involving Timesha Beauchamp, whose family later reached a $3.25 million negligence settlement.

Samuel Bateman, a polygamous sect leader already serving a 50-year federal sentence, was convicted on three Arizona state child-abuse counts after police found three girls aged 11 to 14 confined in an unventilated trailer in August 2022. Bateman acknowledged the trailer was hot and poorly ventilated but said he believed the girls had exited and denied intending to harm them. Each count carries a mandatory four-to-eight-year sentence, with the judge able to impose the terms consecutively or concurrently. The case adds to scrutiny of Bateman’s offshoot network of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and its links to former sect leader Warren Jeffs.

Mark Milk, a South Dakota man whose life sentence for a 1993 manslaughter conviction was commuted by then-Governor Kristi Noem in 2023, has been charged in connection with the death of his 14-year-old niece, McKenna Wendel. Prosecutors allege that Milk possessed cocaine that caused Wendel's death and transported a minor for intended criminal sexual activity. Jon Rogness faces conspiracy and accessory charges over an alleged cover-up. Wendel disappeared from Sioux Falls on March 13 and was found dead near Brookings five days later. Authorities provided few details to protect the investigation, while Noem's commutation decision has drawn renewed scrutiny.

Arizona executed Leroy Dean McGill by lethal injection for killing Charles Perez and severely burning Nova Banta in a 2002 gasoline attack. McGill’s final meal included onion rings, bread and butter, chocolate cake and salad, while his final words expressed thanks to prison staff. His lawyers cited childhood abuse, mental impairment and psychological immaturity in seeking leniency, but courts rejected resentencing and postponement requests. The execution was reported as proceeding without major complications, amid renewed attention to Arizona’s capital-punishment practices after a lengthy hiatus and a botched 2014 execution.

Arizona prisoner Leroy Dean McGill, 63, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Florence for the 2002 murder of Charles Perez and attempted murder of Nova Banta. His conviction and death sentence followed a brief jury deliberation, despite evidence of childhood abuse and mental impairment presented by his defense. Courts rejected his recent requests for resentencing, and he waived clemency, leaving the execution set to proceed under Arizona's pentobarbital protocol.

Leroy Dean McGill is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection at Arizona State Prison Complex in Florence for the 2002 murder of Charles Perez and attempted murder of Nova Banta. McGill doused the victims with gasoline and set them on fire after an alleged dispute over a stolen gun; Perez died and Banta survived with severe burns. McGill was convicted and sentenced to death in 2004, and his execution is the first of three planned in the United States that week.

An autopsy by the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office found that Haitian detainee Emmanuel Damas died from complications of a chest infection, neck and throat abscesses and severe dental problems. The report said Damas twice declined recommendations to have problematic teeth removed and later refused to visit the medical unit before being hospitalized with respiratory failure. His family’s lawyer argues that ICE and CoreCivic failed to provide timely medical care, while CoreCivic cited privacy laws and reaffirmed its commitment to appropriate treatment. Damas is one of at least 51 people reported to have died in ICE custody since Donald Trump began his second term in January 2025.

A federal judge ruled that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Colorado violated an order limiting warrantless arrests to cases involving probable cause of unlawful presence and likely flight before a warrant could be obtained. Judge R. Brooke Jackson found that ICE officers lacked individualized flight-risk assessments, failed to document arrests properly, and had not been adequately trained. He ordered training within 45 days and required the government to provide records of warrantless arrests. The ruling followed an American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado lawsuit over collateral arrests and comes as ICE appeals the underlying order.

Preston Henry Tolth pleaded guilty to robbery under a proposed agreement that could result in a maximum five-year federal sentence, with credit for three years already served. Prosecutors say Tolth admitted using force to take Ella Mae Begay’s pickup truck and leaving her by the roadside, but the agreement would shield him from future murder or manslaughter charges connected to her disappearance. Begay’s family opposes the deal and plans to ask Judge Douglas Rayes to reject it, arguing that Tolth should face trial and help locate her remains. The case was weakened after Rayes ruled Tolth’s FBI confession inadmissible because agents unlawfully coerced him into waiving his right to remain silent.

A federal judge rejected Kalshi’s request to halt Arizona’s criminal prosecution and declined to rule yet on whether federal law preempts the state’s gambling regulations. Arizona has charged the prediction-market operator with 20 misdemeanor wagering counts over contracts tied to elections, college sports, and player performance. Kalshi argues it is a financial marketplace regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission rather than a gambling business, while state attorneys say it has marketed betting products and violated Arizona law. The case proceeds in Maricopa County Superior Court amid mixed rulings in other states and broader federal litigation over prediction-market regulation.

A federal judge in Phoenix rejected a plea agreement that would have allowed Preston Henry Tolth to receive three years of time served after admitting to robbing and assaulting Navajo elder Ella Mae Begay, who disappeared from Sweetwater, Arizona, in 2021 and remains missing. Begay’s family opposed the deal, arguing that Tolth should not be released without disclosing her location. Tolth now faces trial on carjacking and assault charges, although no trial date has been set. Prosecutors had supported the agreement because an earlier ruling excluded Tolth’s confession after finding that an FBI agent unlawfully coerced him, substantially weakening the government’s case.

The Arizona Supreme Court has scheduled May 20 for the execution of 63-year-old Leroy Dean McGill, who was convicted of fatally setting Charles Perez on fire during a 2002 apartment attack in Phoenix. Another victim, Nova Banta, survived with burns over most of her body and identified McGill at trial. His lawyers sought to delay the warrant while pursuing claims about jury instructions and presented evidence of childhood abuse, mental impairment and psychological immaturity. Prosecutors said he had exhausted his appeals. The execution would be Arizona’s first this year; the state currently has 108 prisoners on death row and has resumed executions after previous criticism over a botched 2014 execution and difficulties obtaining lethal-injection drugs.

California legislative leaders announced that César Chavez Day will be renamed Farmworkers Day following allegations that Chávez sexually abused girls involved in the farmworker movement and abused co-founder Dolores Huerta. The California Museum plans to remove him from its Hall of Fame, while communities across the Southwest have canceled celebrations and reconsidered streets, schools and other memorials. Huerta described being manipulated and forced into sexual encounters with Chávez and said she had remained silent for decades to protect the movement. Chávez’s family and the Cesar Chavez Foundation expressed support for survivors, while the United Farm Workers distanced itself from celebrations of its founder. The debate centers on separating Chávez’s contributions to farmworkers’ rights from his alleged conduct.

Communities and institutions are reassessing César Chávez’s legacy after allegations that he sexually abused young girls and sexually abused and coerced Dolores Huerta. Latino leaders, the Chávez family, the César Chavez Foundation and the United Farm Workers have expressed support for survivors, while memorials, celebrations and honors are being canceled or reconsidered. The article contrasts Chávez’s major contributions to farmworker rights with accounts of abusive behavior that supporters say was long concealed to protect the movement.

Volunteers continue searching the desert near Tucson for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, who disappeared from her home on 31 January and is believed by authorities to have been abducted. The Pima County Sheriff's Department is urging the public to leave the search to trained professionals, warning that uncoordinated efforts could contaminate evidence or hinder the investigation. A backpack found by volunteers was deemed unlikely to be a useful lead. Hundreds of people, including the FBI and other agencies, are involved in the investigation, which has generated more than 20,000 tips, while public attention and memorials outside Guthrie's home continue to grow.

A federal judge ordered an independent receivership to take over health and mental health care operations in Arizona’s state prisons after nearly 14 years of litigation, repeated complaints, preventable deaths and inadequate compliance with court-ordered reforms. Judge Roslyn Silver found that systemic deficiencies continue to expose prisoners to serious harm. The state and prisoners’ attorneys have 60 days to propose candidates to run the system. Prisoners’ lawyers welcomed the intervention, while Arizona corrections officials argued that they have improved staffing, treatment access and medical facilities over the past two years. The order applies to roughly 25,000 people in state-run prisons, not those held in private facilities.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has acknowledged mistakes in the investigation into the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, including returning her home to family before journalists photographed blood droplets outside. He is also facing criticism for attending a University of Arizona basketball game while Guthrie remained missing and for providing updates that some officials considered unhelpful. Authorities released surveillance video showing a masked, armed person approaching Guthrie's home and briefly detained a man after a traffic stop, but the footage has not established what happened to her. Supporters defend Nanos's difficulty balancing public transparency with protecting investigative information. The scrutiny is compounded by his narrow 2024 reelection victory and a lawsuit from rival Heather Lappin alleging he used administrative action to damage her campaign.

There was no public response to Savannah Guthrie’s appeal for proof that her mother, Nancy Guthrie, is alive after authorities believe she was abducted from her Tucson home. Investigators returned to the residence, examined possible ransom notes and camera footage, and continued interviewing people who had contact with Nancy, but no suspect or person of interest had been identified. Signs of forced entry and Nancy’s health conditions heightened concern. Family members made an emotional video appeal, while a Tucson vigil drew supporters; Guthrie is also stepping back from NBC-related broadcasting duties to remain with her family.

Authorities investigating Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance in the Tucson area still had no suspect or person of interest four days after she was last seen. Investigators believe she was taken against her will after finding signs of forced entry, while her phone, wallet and car remained at home. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and FBI are examining DNA, surveillance footage, license-plate data and cellphone records, and are reviewing purported ransom notes. Officials say Guthrie needs daily medication and urged the public to provide information. Her daughter, Today host Savannah Guthrie, is staying with her family and will not cover the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

Savannah Guthrie appealed for prayers and the safe return of her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, who disappeared from her Tucson-area home and may have been abducted. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said Nancy has limited mobility, is unlikely to have left voluntarily, and could face a fatal medical crisis without her medication. Authorities have used drones, search dogs, volunteers, a helicopter and other resources, but now view the case primarily as a crime scene. The FBI has offered assistance, while the investigation continues.

Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah, have undergone major changes since courts removed the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and Warren Jeffs from control of local government. Public schools, sports, businesses, religious diversity and private property ownership have expanded, while former members have reconnected with families and outsiders have moved in. The towns were released from court supervision earlier than expected, but residents still face drug use, lingering FLDS influence and the long-term effects of coercion and abuse under Jeffs.

The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints established a polygamist community in Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona, in the 1930s and controlled the towns’ governments for decades. Warren Jeffs became the sect’s leader in 2002 and was later prosecuted for arranging underage marriages and sexually assaulting two girls, receiving a life sentence in Texas in 2011. A 2016 federal religious-discrimination verdict found that the towns had denied nonbelievers access to building permits, water hookups and police protection, leading to court supervision in 2017. That supervision ended on July 2, 2025, after officials found significant progress in reforming the communities.

California farmer Michael Abatti, 63, was arrested in El Centro on suspicion of first-degree murder in the shooting death of his estranged wife, Kerri Ann Abatti, 59, at her home in Pinetop, Arizona. Authorities believe he drove to Arizona, killed her on November 20 and returned to California; he is awaiting extradition, and his attorney has not commented. The couple had separated in 2023 and were involved in a contentious divorce over spousal support and finances, with Michael citing poor farming conditions and rising costs. The case has drawn attention because of the Abatti family’s longstanding prominence in Imperial Valley agriculture.

An Arizona jury sentenced Cleophus Cooksey Jr. to death for six of eight murders committed during a three-week killing spree in the Phoenix area in 2017. The jury convicted him of eight murders as well as kidnapping, armed robbery and attempted sexual assault, but could not agree on punishment for the killings of his mother and stepfather. Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell is considering whether to retry those sentencing decisions or allow life sentences. Investigators linked Cooksey to the crimes through DNA and other evidence, although authorities never established a motive and Cooksey has maintained his innocence.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is asking the Arizona Supreme Court to review a lower-court ruling that sent the state’s fake-elector criminal case back to a grand jury. The case involves Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani, state Sen. Jake Hoffman and others accused of trying to overturn Donald Trump’s 2020 loss in Arizona. A judge found that grand jurors had not been shown a law governing presidential-election certification, while defense lawyers argue that the law permitted alternate elector slates when results were disputed. Mayes says the charges are supported by the facts and law, but defense counsel argues the prosecution punishes constitutional conduct and should be dismissed. Several defendants remain charged and have pleaded not guilty; related cases continue in Nevada, Georgia and Wisconsin.

A New Mexico federal judge halted the death penalty prosecution of Labar Tsethlikai after a shutdown-related funding shortfall left court-appointed defense attorneys unable to conduct the extensive investigation required in a capital case. Tsethlikai, who has pleaded not guilty to charges involving kidnappings, sexual abuse and two deaths, is one of 23 cases authorized under the Trump administration’s effort to restore federal capital punishment. Defense attorneys warn that unpaid lawyers, investigators, interpreters and experts are turning away from indigent cases, threatening defendants’ constitutional right to counsel and causing wider delays across federal courts. Prosecutors objected that the halt would delay justice, while the judge concluded that the shutdown had clearly impeded the defense.

Richard Kenneth Djerf, who pleaded guilty to killing four members of the Luna family in Phoenix in 1993, is scheduled to be executed by pentobarbital injection at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Florence. He declined to seek clemency. The execution would be Arizona's second of the year and comes after repeated pauses in the state's capital-punishment program over drug-supply problems, criticism of a botched 2014 execution and a review of lethal-injection procedures ordered by Governor Katie Hobbs. Arizona has 108 prisoners on death row.

A court-appointed review found that 72% of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office’s $226 million in compliance spending from 2014 to 2024 was wrongly attributed or improperly prorated, including millions spent on surplus body-camera licenses, office renovations, vehicles and a golf cart. The spending stemmed from court-ordered reforms following a 2013 verdict that found racial profiling during Joe Arpaio’s immigration-focused traffic patrols. Maricopa County says the broader costs have reached $323 million and could rise to $352 million by July 2026. The report criticized both the sheriff’s office and county leaders for inadequate oversight, while Sheriff Jerry Sheridan’s office reviews the findings. Although the agency has improved in some areas, it remains under court supervision and has not achieved full compliance.

Cleophus Cooksey Jr. is awaiting a jury verdict in a murder trial stemming from the fatal shootings of eight people in Phoenix and nearby Glendale over three weeks in 2017. Prosecutors allege that evidence found in an apartment where Cooksey was arrested connected him to several killings, including a gun, a victim’s necklace and vehicle keys. Cooksey pleaded not guilty and denies the allegations. Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty if he is convicted.

Arizona death-row prisoner Richard Djerf has apologised for murdering four members of the Luna family in Phoenix in 1993 and said he will not seek clemency. His lethal-injection execution is scheduled for 17 October, which would make it Arizona’s second execution of the year. The case involved the murders of Albert Luna Sr., Patricia Luna and their children Rochelle and Damien; Djerf also said Albert Luna Jr., whom he had blamed for an earlier theft, was not responsible. The execution comes amid Arizona’s continued use of capital punishment following a long hiatus and criticism of a botched 2014 execution.

A federal judge in Arizona extended a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration from removing dozens of unaccompanied Guatemalan and Honduran children from U.S. shelters and foster care. The lawsuit represents 57 Guatemalan children and 12 Honduran children who say they fear returning because of possible neglect, trafficking, hardship or medical concerns. Judge Rosemary Márquez questioned whether parents or legal guardians had been properly contacted and whether officials were improperly making decisions that should be reviewed by an immigration judge. The administration says the repatriations were diplomatically negotiated and intended to reunite children with their families, while lawyers seek access to counsel, immigration hearings and placements serving the children's best interests. Similar lawsuits are pending in Illinois and Washington, D.C.

A CSI Aviation Beechcraft 300 medical transport plane crashed and caught fire while attempting to land near Chinle Airport on the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona, killing all four medical personnel aboard. The crew had flown from Albuquerque to collect a critically ill patient from the Indian Health Service hospital and return to New Mexico. The crash cause remains unknown, and the FAA and NTSB are investigating. Navajo officials expressed grief, while the incident underscored the reservation's reliance on air medical transport because many local hospitals lack advanced or trauma-care facilities.

Lori Vallow Daybell received two additional life sentences after being convicted in Arizona of conspiring to kill her estranged husband, Charles Vallow, and her niece’s former husband, Brandon Boudreaux. The self-represented defendant repeatedly clashed with Judge Justin Beresky over evidence, trial scheduling, courtroom conduct and claims of judicial bias. Beresky rejected her claims that she had been denied a fair trial and described the crimes as exceptionally calculated and manipulative. Vallow Daybell is unlikely to serve time in Arizona because she is already serving three life sentences in Idaho for killing her children and conspiring to kill a romantic rival.

Lori Vallow Daybell is set to be sentenced in Arizona after convictions for conspiring to murder her estranged husband, Charles Vallow, and Brandon Boudreaux. Prosecutors are seeking life sentences, alleging she worked with her brother Alex Cox, pursued a life-insurance payout, and wanted to marry Chad Daybell. The case is linked to the murders of her children, Joshua “JJ” Vallow and Tylee Ryan, and Chad Daybell’s wife, Tammy, for which Vallow Daybell is already serving life sentences in Idaho and Chad Daybell received a death sentence. Vallow Daybell represented herself in the Arizona trials and repeatedly clashed with the judge over trial preparation, health claims and alleged bias.

Avelo Airlines has begun operating charter deportation flights from Arizona under an arrangement involving the Department of Homeland Security and broker CSI Aviation. The decision has prompted criticism from the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA over emergency evacuation and medical-safety risks, as well as boycott campaigns and protests in Arizona and Connecticut. New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker and immigrant-rights organizers urged the airline to withdraw, while CEO Andrew Levy defended the work as supporting expansion and jobs. The financial terms and destinations remain undisclosed, and the arrangement is notable because Avelo is a consumer-facing commercial airline rather than a traditional deportation-flight charter operator.

Cleophus Cooksey Jr.’s trial is opening more than seven years after he was arrested in connection with eight killings across Phoenix and Glendale during a three-week period in late 2017. Prosecutors allege that evidence recovered from his mother’s apartment—including a gun, a victim’s necklace, vehicle keys and DNA—links him to several deaths, and they will seek the death penalty if he is convicted. Cooksey has pleaded not guilty and says the accusations are false. The case was delayed repeatedly, including because of pandemic-related disruptions, while prosecutors declined to charge him in a ninth killing for lack of a reasonable likelihood of conviction.

An autopsy found that 95-year-old actor Gene Hackman died from heart disease, with congestive heart failure, a replaced aortic valve and an irregular heartbeat among his documented conditions. He was also in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease and showed signs of prolonged fasting. Toxicology ruled out alcohol, intoxicating drugs, significant carbon monoxide exposure and hantavirus. Hackman’s pacemaker recorded an abnormal rhythm on the likely date of death, about a week after his wife, Betsy Arakawa, is believed to have died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Investigators continue to examine the deaths and have released additional records and videos from their investigation.

An Arizona jury convicted Lori Vallow Daybell of conspiring with her brother, Alex Cox, to murder her estranged husband, Charles Vallow, in 2019. Prosecutors argued the killing was motivated by life-insurance money and her plan to marry Chad Daybell, while Vallow Daybell maintained that Cox acted in self-defense. She faces another Arizona trial over an alleged plot against Brandon Boudreaux and could receive another life sentence; she is already serving three life sentences in Idaho for the deaths of her two children and a romantic rival.

Closing arguments are scheduled in Lori Vallow Daybell’s Arizona trial on charges that she conspired with her brother Alex Cox to kill her estranged husband, Charles Vallow, in 2019. Vallow Daybell, representing herself, plans to present no witnesses or evidence and has pleaded not guilty, maintaining that Cox shot Charles in self-defense. Prosecutors allege the killing was motivated by life-insurance money and Vallow Daybell’s relationship with Chad Daybell. She faces a potential life sentence with parole eligibility after 25 years if convicted. She has already received a life sentence in Idaho for killing her two children and conspiring to kill a romantic rival, and is scheduled for a separate Arizona trial concerning an alleged plot against Brandon Boudreaux.

Arizona Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a Republican-backed bill that would have required state and local officials to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, including honoring detainers, sharing information, and entering agreements to temporarily house people for federal authorities. Supporters said the measure would make it easier and safer to transfer immigrants into federal custody, while opponents warned of added costs, damage to police-community cooperation, and legal risks tied to Arizona’s immigration laws. The veto comes amid an ongoing dispute between Hobbs and the Republican-led Legislature over funding for developmental-disability services, with Hobbs vowing to reject bills until a compromise is reached.

Lori Vallow Daybell is expected to rest her defense without calling witnesses or presenting evidence in her Arizona trial over the alleged conspiracy to murder her estranged husband, Charles Vallow. Prosecutors have finished presenting their case, and closing arguments could begin Monday if she confirms that decision. Vallow Daybell, who is representing herself, has struggled to locate or subpoena witnesses. Prosecutors allege she conspired with her brother Alex Cox to kill Charles for his life-insurance money and to marry Chad Daybell. She has pleaded not guilty and faces life imprisonment with at least 25 years before possible release if convicted, after already receiving a life sentence in Idaho for killing her two children and conspiring to murder another romantic rival.

Adam Cox testified at Lori Vallow Daybell's Arizona trial that he believes she and their brother Alex Cox were responsible for the 2019 killing of Charles Vallow. He said he had traveled to Arizona to stage an intervention over his sister's increasingly unusual religious beliefs, but became suspicious after Alex stopped responding and was found at Lori's home. Adam acknowledged he did not personally witness a conspiracy, while prosecutors presented his testimony alongside allegations that Lori wanted Charles dead to collect life-insurance money and marry Chad Daybell. Vallow Daybell, representing herself, pleaded not guilty; a conviction could bring another life sentence, followed by a separate Arizona trial over an alleged plot against Brandon Boudreaux.

Aaron Brian Gunches, 53, is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection in Arizona on March 19 for the 2002 murder of Ted Price near Mesa. He has waived clemency and does not plan to attend the Arizona Board of Executive Clemency hearing. Gunches previously sought to accelerate his execution, but the Arizona Supreme Court rejected that request. The execution would be Arizona's first in more than two years after a review of execution procedures delayed the state's use of the death penalty. Arizona has faced criticism over a botched 2014 execution, difficulties obtaining lethal-injection drugs and delays inserting IVs. State lawmakers are considering a proposal that could put a 2026 ballot measure before voters to replace lethal injection with a firing squad, while retaining lethal gas for some older death-row cases.

Lawyers representing about 25,000 people incarcerated in Arizona state prisons asked a federal judge to place the prison health-care system into receivership, arguing that the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry lacks the capacity and willingness to comply with court-ordered reforms. The request follows years of noncompliance, contempt fines totaling $2.5 million, and a 2022 ruling that inadequate medical and mental-health care violated prisoners’ constitutional rights and contributed to preventable deaths. A court-appointed expert recently reported little improvement and continued risks of serious harm, including death. The request would revive a receivership option previously considered by Judge Roslyn Silver; the state and Gov. Katie Hobbs’ office had not responded. The case excludes roughly 10,000 state prisoners held in private facilities.

Arizona’s Supreme Court has scheduled Aaron Brian Gunches’s execution for 19 March, making it the state’s first execution in two years. Gunches pleaded guilty to the 2002 murder of Ted Price near Mesa and also shot and wounded a state trooper in 2003. Arizona’s execution program had been paused amid criticism of a botched 2014 execution, difficulties obtaining lethal-injection drugs and a review of state procedures. That review ended after Governor Katie Hobbs dismissed the appointed examiner, with her office saying that critical legal and constitutional improvements had been made. Gunches, who is representing himself, had asked the court to move up his execution, saying the sentence was long overdue, but the request was rejected.

Samuel Bateman, a self-proclaimed prophet who led an offshoot of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, pleaded guilty to transporting underage girls across state lines for sexual abuse and to helping kidnap children from protective custody. His plea agreement calls for 20 to 50 years in prison, restitution of up to $1 million per victim and forfeiture of his assets, although a competency evaluation could delay sentencing or lead to psychiatric treatment. Authorities said Bateman claimed more than 20 spiritual wives, including at least 10 minors, and coerced followers into surrendering wives and daughters to him. Several adult wives and other associates have also been convicted or face sentencing for facilitating sexual abuse, obstructing the investigation or participating in kidnappings.

Michael Lacey, a founder of Backpage.com, was sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of international concealment money laundering. Prosecutors said Backpage generated roughly $500 million from prostitution-related advertising and that Lacey and other executives concealed the business’s activities and laundered revenue through cryptocurrency and foreign bank accounts. Executives John Brunst and Scott Spear each received 10-year sentences. Lacey still faces about 30 unresolved prostitution-facilitation and money-laundering charges, while the defense maintains he focused on his newspaper business and was not involved in Backpage’s daily operations. The case also highlights disputes over the site’s moderation efforts and the consequences of its 2018 government seizure for law-enforcement investigations.

The Arizona Supreme Court ruled that Proposition 314 can appear on the November 5 ballot, rejecting Latino groups’ argument that the measure violates the state constitution’s single-subject rule. If approved, it would make unauthorized border crossings a state crime, authorize state and local police to arrest violators, allow judges to order their return to their home countries, impose tougher penalties for fentanyl sales resulting in death, and require federal eligibility checks for some public benefits. Supporters argue the measure is necessary because the federal government has failed to secure Arizona’s border, while opponents warn of racial profiling, reputational damage and substantial unfunded costs for local police. Republican lawmakers placed the measure on the ballot after bypassing Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs, and it will compete for voters’ attention alongside a proposed constitutional abortion-rights amendment.

A U.S. Justice Department investigation found that the Phoenix Police Department has a pattern of violating civil rights, including discriminatory enforcement against Black, Hispanic and Native American people, excessive and unjustified deadly force, unlawful treatment of homeless people, failures in responding to people with behavioral health disabilities, and suppression of protected speech. The review of police shootings from 2019 through 2022 found reckless tactics, continued gunfire after threats had ended, delayed medical aid and force against incapacitated or handcuffed people. Federal officials are seeking a court-enforced consent decree for reforms, with litigation possible if negotiations fail. Phoenix officials said they will review the findings, while local advocates called the conclusions unsurprising and urged the mayor and City Council to act.

Taxpayer costs arising from the racial-profiling lawsuit against former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio are projected to reach $314 million by mid-2025, including $41 million recently approved by county officials. The spending covers personnel, court-ordered reforms and independent monitoring of the sheriff’s traffic patrol and internal affairs operations, with costs continuing until the agency achieves full compliance for three consecutive years. Arpaio’s immigration crackdowns led to a federal finding of racial profiling and his later criminal contempt conviction, which Donald Trump pardoned in 2017. Community advocates say the agency may be improving under Sheriff Russ Skinner, although concerns remain over unequal traffic-stop treatment and a large internal affairs backlog.

The Arizona Supreme Court authorized enforcement of an 1864 law that bans nearly all abortions, allowing an exception only when necessary to save the pregnant woman’s life and providing no exceptions for rape or incest. Doctors may face prosecution and two to five years in prison, although enforcement is delayed for at least two weeks and possibly longer. The ruling followed the US Supreme Court’s 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade and is expected to sharply reduce abortions in Arizona. It has intensified the abortion debate in a key 2024 battleground state, while advocates pursue a ballot initiative that would establish constitutional abortion rights up to fetal viability, generally around 24 weeks.

The Arizona Supreme Court ruled that the state may begin enforcing an 1864 law that criminalizes nearly all abortions, allowing an exception only when the mother's life is at risk and none for rape or incest. Enforcement is set to begin in 14 days. The decision followed the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade and overturned an earlier effort to keep the law blocked. Attorney General Kris Mayes, President Joe Biden and abortion-rights advocates condemned the ruling, while former Governor Doug Ducey said it was not the outcome he wanted. A legislative proposal to repeal the law remains stalled.

Sect leader Samuel Bateman pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiring to transport underage girls across state lines for sexual activity and to conspiring to kidnap girls placed in Arizona state custody. Authorities allege that Bateman, who claimed to be a prophet and had more than 20 wives, including 10 minors, orchestrated sexual acts, exchanged wives as punishment or atonement, and operated a network across several states. The case began after police found three girls in an unventilated trailer, while eight children later escaped foster care with assistance allegedly involving Bateman's wives. Businessman Moroni Johnson and four of Bateman's wives have also pleaded guilty, while charges remain pending against four women and two men. Bateman's plea agreement recommends 20 to 50 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for July 15.

Moroni Johnson pleaded guilty to conspiring with sect leader Samuel Bateman to transport four underage girls across state lines for sexual activity, becoming the first man convicted in the alleged scheme. Authorities accuse Bateman of operating a multistate polygamous network, sexually abusing minor girls, coercing followers and arranging the movement of children. Bateman has pleaded not guilty to federal and state charges and remains jailed pending trial, while several of his adult wives have pleaded guilty to helping remove children from state custody; charges remain pending against other alleged followers.

U.S. District Judge Roslyn Silver is considering a third contempt proceeding against Arizona for failing to improve medical and mental health care in its state-run prisons, which house nearly 25,000 people. Court-appointed experts say private provider NaphCare lacks sufficient staff and needs higher salaries, while the state has withheld more than $10 million from the company. Previous contempt fines totaling $2.5 million did not produce lasting improvements. Prisoners’ attorneys want the judge to overturn Arizona’s privatization law, while Silver is also considering whether stronger enforcement of the state’s contract with NaphCare could resolve the deficiencies. The case follows a 2022 ruling that Arizona violated prisoners’ constitutional rights and that inadequate care contributed to preventable deaths.

Three former Arizona Department of Education employees—Delores Lashay Sweet, Dorrian Lamarr Jones and Jennifer Lopez—were indicted on conspiracy and money-laundering charges for allegedly enrolling 17 students, including five fictitious children, in the state's Empowerment Scholarship Account voucher program using forged documents and fake disability diagnoses. Two of Sweet's adult children were also charged. Prosecutors allege the scheme diverted more than $600,000 for personal purchases after unusual cash withdrawals alerted a credit union. Attorney General Kris Mayes said the case exposed weak safeguards and urged the Republican-controlled Legislature to tighten oversight, while Senator John Kavanagh argued that the fraud reflected misconduct by employees rather than a flaw in the voucher program. Superintendent Tom Horne disputed claims that his office failed to report concerns and said additional controls had been implemented. The program's expansion to all students has driven participation above 75,000 and projected annual costs from $64 million to potentially more than $900 million, intensifying debate over its fiscal impact and beneficiaries.

Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Ben Toma sued President Joe Biden over his designation of the 1,562-square-mile Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni National Monument near Grand Canyon National Park. They argue the Antiquities Act does not authorize such a broad designation and contend that restrictions will harm uranium mining, ranching, local tax revenue and the value of nearby land. Native American tribes and environmentalists support the monument, which was created to protect culturally significant and environmentally sensitive areas. Mohave County and two northern Arizona communities joined the challenge, while the Biden administration declined to comment.

Federal prosecutors in Arizona filed notice that they will retry former Backpage.com co-founder Michael Lacey on 84 prostitution-facilitation and money-laundering counts on which a 2023 jury could not reach a verdict. Lacey was convicted of one international money-laundering count and acquitted on another after his first trial ended in a mistrial. Prosecutors allege Backpage generated about $500 million from prostitution-related advertising and used cryptocurrency and foreign accounts to launder proceeds, while Lacey's defense says the site did not permit sex ads and that its content was protected by the First Amendment. Other former Backpage executives were convicted or acquitted in the broader case.

Phoenix asked the U.S. Department of Justice to end its civil rights investigation of the city’s police department through a technical-assistance agreement rather than a lawsuit that could impose court supervision and a monitor. The city cited reforms made over the past decade and objected to not seeing the DOJ’s findings before their public release. Civil rights advocates called the request a public-relations tactic, while the police union supported it because of the cost and bureaucracy of federal oversight. The investigation examines excessive force, discriminatory policing, treatment of homeless and disabled people, protest-related retaliation and other alleged rights violations. Under interim Chief Michael Sullivan, the department has revised its use-of-force policy to require force to be reasonable, proportional and necessary.

Michael Lacey, co-founder of Backpage.com, was convicted of one money laundering count, acquitted on another, and received a mistrial on 84 unresolved counts after an Arizona jury deadlocked. Other former Backpage executives received mixed outcomes: John Brunst and Scott Spear were convicted on multiple charges, while Andrew Padilla and Joye Vaught were acquitted. Prosecutors alleged the site facilitated prostitution advertising and laundered hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, while Lacey’s defense argued he was not involved in daily operations, that Backpage cooperated with law enforcement, and that its content was protected by the First Amendment.

Former Arizona Corrections Director Charles Ryan pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct stemming from a 2022 armed standoff at his Tempe home, during which police say he fired a gun and pointed one at officers. He faces up to two years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for January 11. Ryan said he had little memory of the incident; police reported that he had been drinking and seized about 15 guns from his home. His tenure as corrections director was also marked by court contempt over prisoner health-care improvements and criticism related to deaths, an execution, prison security and staff safety.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that doctors and a physicians’ association have standing to renew their challenge to Arizona’s law making it a felony for doctors to perform abortions sought solely because of a fetal genetic abnormality, including Down syndrome. The case returns to a lower court for consideration of an injunction, although the appeals court did not decide whether the law is constitutional. The law’s defenders argue it protects people with disabilities, while challengers say it is vague and leaves doctors uncertain about covered conditions and patients’ motivations. The litigation unfolds amid broader disputes over Arizona’s abortion restrictions following the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade and a proposed ballot initiative that would establish a constitutional right to abortion in the state.

Closing arguments in the retrial of Backpage founder Michael Lacey and four former employees presented opposing interpretations of whether Lacey knowingly allowed prostitution ads on the site. Prosecutors argued that the site’s adult advertising revenue, warnings from outside organizations, and alleged efforts to recruit sex workers showed deliberate facilitation, while Lacey’s defense maintained that he was not involved in daily operations, believed the site was lawful, cooperated with law enforcement, and had no evidence-based connection to the specific ads at issue. The defendants have pleaded not guilty to facilitating prostitution, with some also facing money laundering charges; the trial is set to continue with additional closing arguments.

Rafaela Vasquez, the backup driver in Uber’s 2018 autonomous-vehicle crash that killed pedestrian Elaine Herzberg in Tempe, Arizona, pleaded guilty to felony endangerment and received three years of supervised probation. Investigators found that Vasquez failed to monitor the road while distracted by phones, while the NTSB also cited Uber’s inadequate safety procedures, disabled automatic emergency braking, Herzberg’s decision to cross outside a crosswalk and weak state oversight. Prosecutors declined to charge Uber, but the crash led the company to withdraw its self-driving vehicles from Arizona and helped slow the autonomous ride-hailing industry.

Barry Lee Jones, who spent 29 years on Arizona’s death row for the 1994 death of four-year-old Rachel Gray, was released after prosecutors and his defense team reached an agreement casting doubt on the original medical evidence and conviction. A Pima County judge vacated his convictions and death sentence after Jones pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for failing to obtain medical care, sentencing him to 25 years with credit for time served. Earlier appeals had identified inadequate defense investigation and evidence that the child may have been injured before she was alone with Jones, although the US Supreme Court later reversed a federal ruling ordering his release.

Arizona will stop approving new housing developments on parts of metropolitan Phoenix that depend on groundwater, after a state projection found that nearly 5 million acre-feet of groundwater demand over the next century may be unmet. The restriction affects fast-growing areas such as Queen Creek and Buckeye but does not apply to existing homeowners with assured water supplies. Governor Katie Hobbs said the measure does not mean Arizona is running out of water, while prolonged drought and climate change have increased pressure to reduce groundwater use.

Taxpayer costs from the federal racial-profiling lawsuit against the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office are projected to reach $273 million by summer 2024, including $38 million in the next fiscal year. The spending funds employees, legal work and court compliance monitoring required after a judge found that Joe Arpaio’s immigration-focused traffic patrols discriminated against Latinos. Sheriff Paul Penzone’s administration has improved most compliance scores but still faces a major backlog in internal-affairs investigations and has not achieved full compliance. Advocates say racial profiling remains a core unresolved issue, while the sheriff’s office warns that costs will continue because removing compliance resources could undermine reforms. Arpaio rejects responsibility and defends his immigration enforcement policies, whereas critics blame his administration for creating the legal and financial crisis.