Arizona set to execute man convicted of 2002 murder

Arizona is scheduled to execute Aaron Brian Gunches, on Wednesday March 19, 2025, at Arizona State Prison Complex in Florence.

This will mark the state’s first execution in over two years.

According to Associated Press (AP), the last executions took place in 2022 after an eight-year break caused by drug shortages and legal concerns.

The execution in 2014 was heavily criticized for being botched, leading to the long pause.

Among the three executions in 2022, one drew backlash due to delays in inserting an IV for lethal injection.

The process reportedly took too long, raising ethical and procedural concerns.

Gunches, 53, had pleaded guilty to first-degree murder after killing Ted Price, his girlfriend’s ex-husband, in 2002.

He was scheduled to be injected with pentobarbital at the state prison complex in Florence.

Price was fatally shot in the desert outside Mesa, a suburb of Phoenix.

Authorities says Gunches orchestrated the killing after a dispute between Price and his ex-wife.

Gunches is one of four death row inmates scheduled for execution in the United States (US) this week.

This will be the first execution in a Democrat-led state since 2017, when Virginia carried out its last execution under Governor Terry McAuliffe.

Gunches was initially set to die in April 2023, however, Governor Katie Hobbs postponed executions to review Arizona’s death penalty process.

In late 2023, Hobbs dismissed the retired judge overseeing the review and changed the team handling executions, which led to procedural changes.

The Murder Case

Arizona authorities says Price’s ex-wife struck him in the face during an argument in 2002, which left him unconscious.

His sister, Karen Price, said he had threatened to report his ex-wife for using drugs around their children.

Gunches arrived later and ordered two women to drive Price to a bus station.

The women lacked money for a ticket, they instead drove into the desert.

Investigation shows that Gunches shot Price and left his body behind.

Arrest and Conviction

In January 2003, a state trooper stopped Gunches near the California border. Gunches shot the officer, but a bulletproof vest saved the trooper’s life.

Ballistic evidence linked Gunches to Price’s murder.

He was charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping in October 2003.

In 2007, Gunches pleaded guilty to the charges.

Attempts to Expedite Execution

Gunches, who represented himself in court, requested an execution warrant in 2022 to give closure to Price’s family.

The state still scheduled his execution, but it was delayed due to Governor Hobbs’ review of execution procedures.

In December 2023, Gunches asked the Arizona Supreme Court to skip legal formalities and move his execution date forward.

The court denied his request but later scheduled his execution for Wednesday.

No Expected Reprieve

No last-minute intervention is expected to halt Gunches’ execution.

Media reports says some lawyers opposed his execution but were not officially representing him.

They argued that lethal injection with pentobarbital can cause fluid buildup in the lungs, leading to a painful death.

The court rejected their appeal, ruling that Gunches’ case was not the right platform to debate lethal injection methods.

Last week, Gunches declined to seek clemency from the Arizona Clemency Board.

His execution is now set to proceed amid ongoing debates about lethal injection methods.

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