State v. Mr. P (DMC No. 17652) – Felony First Degree Murder and Felony Kidnapping – Reduced to Second Degree Murder (with 25 Years DOC) – Maricopa County Superior Court (Case No. CR2021-138129)
Mr. P was 18 years old and had only ever had one girlfriend. After he broke up with his girlfriend, she began dating another man approximately one month later. During that relationship, she would contact Mr. P and claim that she was being abused by her new boyfriend. Mr. P was even shown bruises by his ex-girlfriend.
Mr. P was being led to believe that his ex-girlfriend wanted to get back together with him, and that she needed his protection. He showed up one night at her house in order to “win her back,” but when he got there he realized that she was inside her parents’ house with her new boyfriend. He waited outside until the new boyfriend climbed out of the window and was walking towards his vehicle. At that point, Mr. P Kidnapped the other man at gunpoint and had him drive his own vehicle.
When they were driving, a struggle ensued over the Victim’s cell phone, and the Victim was fatally shot in the truck. At that point, Mr. P started having a “break from reality,” and drove the body out to the desert. When the body was found it was completely unclothed, and rocks were piled on the face and the groin area “in order to prevent animals from getting to those areas.” Clearly, Mr. P was struggling with his own actions.
After that occurred, Mr. P went home and eventually confessed that night to his brother and his father. His father called the Police and Mr. P was cooperative and confessed to the crime, and then he took the Police to the body. He was ultimately charged with First Degree Murder, and the State was seeking Natural Life in Prison. This is when his family hired DM Cantor in order to defend the case.
After obtaining extensive medical records, DM Cantor then arranged to have Mr. P conduct a psychological examination. While this was going on, we also had a Mitigation Expert interview all of Mr. P’s family and friends, and secure all of his medical and school records. In addition, DM Cantor had a Neuropsychological Evaluation conducted on Mr. P. Eventually, a Settlement Conference Memorandum was prepared, and with the help of several Judges, we were able to negotiate a Plea to 25 years in Prison, to be followed by 7 years of Probation. Instead of serving Life in Prison, Mr. P will be released when he is 43 years old, and he will have many decades of life in front of him.