The Arizona Supreme Court has scheduled an execution for Aaron Brian Gunches on March 19. Gunches, who was convicted of murder in 2007, recently stated that his death sentence was “long overdue.” If carried out, this will be Arizona’s first execution in over two years.
Gunches was found guilty of the 2002 shooting death of Ted Price, the ex-husband of his girlfriend. The crime took place near Mesa, Arizona. Authorities later linked him to the murder after matching bullet casings from the scene to a shooting in 2003, where Gunches fired at a state trooper near the California border. Fortunately, the trooper survived thanks to a bulletproof vest.
Ted Price’s sister, Karen Price, shared her thoughts on the execution date, expressing relief that justice was finally being served. She described her brother as a kind and loving man who enjoyed watching the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks and loved riding his motorcycle. She also mentioned how his two children, who were teenagers when he was murdered, were deeply affected by his death.
Arizona has 112 prisoners on death row. The state previously halted executions for nearly eight years due to concerns about the botched execution of Joseph Wood in 2014 and struggles in obtaining lethal injection drugs. However, in 2022, three executions were carried out, although one of them faced criticism for delays in inserting the IV for lethal injection.
Gunches’ execution had originally been scheduled nearly two years ago, but it was postponed when Arizona’s Democratic attorney general agreed to pause executions while reviewing the state’s death penalty procedures. The review, led by a retired federal magistrate judge, ended in November 2023 when Governor Katie Hobbs dismissed the judge. Officials stated that the review led to necessary improvements to ensure the process meets legal and constitutional standards. Governor Hobbs has affirmed her commitment to carrying out justice in a transparent and humane manner.
Gunches, now 53 years old, has been representing himself in court. In December, he requested that his execution be scheduled even sooner, arguing that his death sentence had been delayed too long. However, the Arizona Supreme Court denied his request.
There has been no immediate response from Emily Skinner, the attorney who serves as Gunches’ advisory counsel.
