PHOENIX, Arizona: Arizona will resume executions following a two-year pause, the state’s top prosecutor has said.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes told The Associated Press this week that she will soon request an execution warrant for Aaron Brian Gunches, a death row inmate convicted of murdering his girlfriend’s ex-husband, Ted Price.
Mayes stated that her office has been preparing to resume executions in Arizona, working alongside state corrections officials to review and improve execution protocols. This comes after Governor Katie Hobbs had paused executions earlier in her term, citing concerns about the state’s ability to conduct them lawfully and humanely.
The review process initiated by Hobbs concluded this month with the dismissal of the retired federal magistrate she had appointed to oversee it. Christian Slater, a spokesperson for Hobbs, emphasized the governor’s commitment to ensuring justice is carried out in a manner that is “transparent and humane.” Corrections officials have since implemented significant policy and procedural updates to align with legal and constitutional standards, according to Slater.
Mayes indicated in May that executions could resume by early 2025 following the review. Now, adhering to that timeline, she plans to petition the Arizona Supreme Court for a warrant to execute Gunches.
Gunches, who pleaded guilty to Price’s 2002 murder near Mesa, Arizona, was initially scheduled for execution in April 2023. However, the process was delayed as the state faced logistical challenges, including a lack of qualified staff, difficulties in assembling an IV team, and the absence of a pharmacist to compound the lethal injection drug, pentobarbital.
Arizona’s death penalty system has faced significant scrutiny in recent years. Executions were paused for nearly eight years following widespread criticism of a botched 2014 execution and challenges in obtaining execution drugs. The state resumed executions in 2022, carrying out three that year.
