Diocese of Phoenix holds candlelight vigil for death row inmate set to be executed

PHOENIX — Arizona is set to carry out its first execution since 2022 on Wednesday morning.

Death row inmate Aaron Gunches, who was convicted in 2002 for the murder of Ted Price, his girlfriend’s ex-husband, is set to be killed by lethal injection in Florence.

The Roman Catholic Dioceses of Phoenix protested the execution through a peaceful vigil on Tuesday night.

Why vigil is being held for death row inmate at Diocese of Phoenix

Their opposition is rooted in the religious belief that all people can seek to find forgiveness, according to Father Estevan Wetzel, the director of Prison Ministries for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix.

“We recognize and respect that there are victims who are involved and we firstly pray for them, their healing, their strength, but we’re also just recognizing that in today’s society with the ability to safely keep someone detained that it is no longer necessary to have the death penalty,” Wetzel told KTAR News 92.3 FM ahead of the Tuesday vigil.

He said he wanted to see the end of the death penalty across the world.

“The reason we are praying tonight is because yes, we want the end of death penalty in the entire world, but it’s also more intimate than that where we want to pray for everyone involved,” Wetzel said. “Whenever someone’s life is taken, especially when it’s been violent or it is crime-related, society hurts.”

Why is death row inmate Aaron Gunches being killed?

Gunches originally pleaded guilty in 2004 to murdering Price. He was sentenced to death in 2008 and again in 2013 after the Arizona Supreme Court found an error in the first sentencing proceeding.

Arizona currently has 112 inmates on death row.

“We want to take these opportunities when they come to light or when it affects society or the news to step back and pray,” Wetzel said. “Pray for those involved, pray for those who have passed away, but also we’re recognizing that we’d like to pray for those who have committed the crime for their salvation, for their redemption and also for reparation for the crimes that they committed.”

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Balin Overstolz McNair contributed to this report.

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