PHOENIX — A person convicted within the 1980 killings of two individuals was scheduled to die Wednesday in what could be Arizona’s third execution because it began finishing up the dying penalty in Might after an almost eight-year hiatus.
Murray Hooper, 76, is scheduled to die by deadly injection on the state jail in Florence for his homicide convictions within the killings of William “Pat” Redmond and his mother-in-law, Helen Phelps.
Authorities say the killings had been carried out on the behest of a person who needed to take over Redmond’s printing enterprise.
The courts rebuffed makes an attempt by Hooper’s legal professionals to postpone the execution and order fingerprint and DNA testing on proof from the killings.
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His legal professionals mentioned Hooper is harmless, that no bodily proof ties him to the killings and that testing may result in figuring out these accountable. They are saying Hooper was convicted earlier than computerized fingerprint programs and DNA testing had been obtainable in legal circumstances.
They additionally requested the U.S. Supreme Courtroom to assessment his declare that authorities had till lately withheld that Redmond’s spouse, Marilyn, who survived being shot within the head throughout the assault, had did not establish him in a photograph lineup. Nonetheless, authorities say that declare is predicated on a mistake a prosecutor made in a letter to the state’s clemency board and now insist that no such lineup was proven to Marilyn Redmond.
She later recognized Hooper in an in-person lineup and testified towards him at his trial.
Authorities say Hooper and two different males pressured their approach into the Redmond house on Dec. 31, 1980. The three victims had been sure, gagged, robbed and shot within the head.
Two different males, William Bracy and Edward McCall, had been convicted within the killings however died earlier than their dying sentences could possibly be carried out.
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Authorities say Robert Cruz, who was alleged to have had ties to organized crime, employed Hooper, Bracy and McCall to kill Pat Redmond, who co-owned a printing enterprise. They mentioned Cruz needed to take over the enterprise and was sad that Redmond had rejected his presents to enter a number of printing contracts with Las Vegas inns, in line with courtroom data. Cruz was acquitted of homicide expenses in each deaths in 1995.
Hooper’s legal professionals say Marilyn Redmond’s description of the assailants modified a number of occasions earlier than she recognized their shopper, who mentioned he was not in Arizona on the time. Additionally they raised questions on the advantages obtained by witnesses who testified towards Hooper, together with favorable remedy in different legal circumstances.
Arizona didn’t perform the dying penalty for practically eight years after criticism {that a} 2014 execution was botched and since it encountered issue acquiring deadly injection medicine. No different executions are presently scheduled within the state.
Arizona has 111 individuals on dying row, 22 of whom have exhausted their appeals, in line with the state legal professional common’s workplace.
A self-described Arizona social media “villain” was arrested after he filmed himself allegedly spraying bed bug killer on groceries inside a Walmart as he boasted to police about his prank videos.
Charles Smith, 27, is accused of grabbing a can of Hot Shot Ultra Bed Bug and Flea Killer and unleashing the pesticide on a series of perishable items in the Mesa, Ariz. megastore around 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 19.
In the now-deleted video, the influencer filmed himself wearing a black hoodie and pink bandana while spraying the toxin on bananas, acorn squash, potatoes, lemons, green apples and Roma tomatoes at the store — located in a neighborhood southeast of Phoenix.
Charles Smith was accused of spraying a bed bug killer on groceries inside a Walmart. ImTheMainCharacter/Reddit
Police claim the TikTokker, who goes by the username WolfieKahletti, intentionally went to the store to film pranks for his channel.
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Smith identifies as an online “troll,” according to court documents viewed by Az Family. He has more than 300,000 followers on TikTok.
The troublemaker allegedly told police that he makes between $6,000 – $10,000 per month filming his provocative prank videos.
”I think social media has got people doing crazy things out here,” Walmart shopper Xavier Griego told the outlet. “It’s unfortunate that somebody would mess up their whole life, potentially, for something on social media for views.”
Smith voluntarily turned himself over to police on Dec. 21.
The prankster reportedly posted the video on his TikTok page with over 300K followers. ImTheMainCharacter/RedditWalmart claimed it removed the contaminated items and cleaned the areas that were hit. ImTheMainCharacter/Reddit
He faces charges of introducing poison (a felony) as well as three misdemeanors that include criminal damage, endangerment and theft.
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A spokesperson from Walmart told AZ Family that store employees removed the directly impacted products and cleaned the affected areas of the store.
It’s not clear if any customers were injured from eating the contaminated items.
Smith voluntarily turned himself over to the police on Dec. 21. ImTheMainCharacter/Reddit
“This incident underscores the potential dangers of reckless actions disguised as social media pranks,” the Mesa Police Department said in a statement.
Other videos posted online by Smith include the posts of him seemingly mixing in bacon and eggs in a stranger’s load at the laundromat as well as locking people inside a different grocery store.
Smith is charged with a felony and three misdemeanors. ImTheMainCharacter/Reddit
The spray is “harmful if swallowed” and “prolonged or frequently repeated skin contact may cause allergic reactions in some individuals” per HotShot’s website.
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Suspects convicted of tampering with consumer products face up to 5 to 20 years in prison.
In 2022, an Arizona man was sentenced to 10 years of probation after being convicted of adding harmful chemicals to food at several retail stores in the Phoenix area.
David Lohr was ordered to pay restitution to a grocery chain for $390.42 and ordered to participate in a mental health evaluation and any additional recommended treatment.
There were no reported injuries or illnesses associated with the tampered items during the 2018 stunt, prosecutors said.
Lohr was accused of tampering with products at stores in California one year later and sentenced to a 51-month prison term followed by three years of supervised release with mental health services.
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Caleb Love matched his season-high with 24 points to help power Arizona to a 94-41 rout of Central Michigan on Saturday.
The Wildcats (6-5) won back-to-back games for the first time since beating Canisius and Old Dominion to open the season.
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The Chippewas (5-6) scored the game’s first three points but Love knocked down three 3-pointers and scored 18 first-half points to put Arizona firmly in charge at intermission, 44-23.
Arizona shot 54.5% from the field, including 10 of 29 from distance, and got 44 points from its bench. K.J. Lewis hit 4 of 8 from the field and 5 of 5 from the line for 13 points to lead the reserves. Tobe Awaka added a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Wildcats dominated the boards, outrebounding the Chippewas 45-27.
Central Michigan struggled from the field, hitting just 14 of 54 (25.9%), including just 3 of 16 from distance. Cayden Vasko hit 4 of 13, including 2 of 5 from 3-point range, to lead the team with 10 points.
Arizona opens Big 12 Conference play at home when it plays host to TCU on Dec. 30. Central Michigan will look to snap its three-game losing string on Dec. 30 when it plays host to Cleary.
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After getting hired as Arizona’s offensive coordinator, Seth Doege said his scheme is one that can be effective through the air and on the ground. And now he’s added a playmaker who has shown the ability to produce in both areas in a similar system.
Former Texas State running back Ismail Mahdi has committed to Arizona, giving the Wildcats a versatile ball carrier who can also catch passes out of the backfield.
BREAKING: Texas State star transfer RB Ismail Mahdi has Committed to Arizona, he tells @on3sports
The 5’9 187 RB led the nation in All-Purpose Yards in 2023 (2,169)
2x All-Sun Belt 1st Team & 2023 1st Team All-American
The 5-foot-9, 185-pound Mahdi ran for 2,322 yards and 14 touchdowns in two seasons with the Bobcats, adding 44 catches for 470 yards and three TDs as well as a score off a kick return. He has more than 3,500 all-purpose yards the last two seasons, with another 900 and five scores from the 2022 season at FCS Houston Christian.
Texas State runs a spread attack similar to what Doege used at Marshall, one that averaged 37.1 points and almost 475 yards per game this fall.
Ismail is Arizona’s 10th transfer pickup, fifth on offense and third at a skill position along with former New Mexico receiver Luke Wysong and ex-Washington State receiver Kris Hutson.
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