After a two-year pause, Arizona is once again moving forward with the death penalty. Prosecutors have filed a motion with the state Supreme Court seeking to execute Aaron Brian Gunches, who was convicted in 2007 for the murder of Ted Price in Maricopa County.
Gunches, who pleaded guilty to the crime, has waived further legal appeals and requested his execution be expedited, calling his death sentence “long overdue.”
The court had issued a death warrant for Gunches nearly two years ago, but the execution was delayed due to a review of Arizona’s execution procedures, prompted by the Democratic attorney general at the time.
The review concluded in November when Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs dismissed the retired federal magistrate leading the examination of the state’s death penalty protocol.
Prosecutors are now arguing that the state is prepared to carry out the execution, as Gunches has not initiated any federal constitutional challenges. His self-representation in court and his willingness to waive additional legal proceedings have put the wheels back in motion. The state Supreme Court rejected Gunches’ request to speed up the process, but his case remains on track to potentially resume Arizona’s use of capital punishment.
This marks Arizona’s return to executing death sentences, a process that has been largely paused over the past few years due to legal and procedural reviews. The case of Aaron Brian Gunches has reignited the national conversation around the death penalty and the state’s willingness to continue using it.
