Man sentenced to death in 2013 murder, rape of 14-year-old Mesa girl

PHOENIX — A man convicted of murdering and raping a 14-year-old Mesa girl in 2013 received a death penalty sentence on Thursday, authorities announced.

Alex Anthony Madrid, 42, was handed down the sentence for the December 2013 murder of Claudia Lucero, a freshman at Westwood High School, according to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.

Madrid had already been sentenced to 91 years in prison for noncapital convictions related to Lucero’s death, including kidnapping and burglary.

“After waiting 11 painful years to see Claudia’s murderer be held accountable, the day has finally arrived for Claudia’s mother and the Lucero family,” Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in a press release. “I have had the privilege of being with them and saw firsthand the pain they’ve been through.”

Death penalty sentence: What happened in 14-year-old’s death?

Lucero’s family reported her missing after she didn’t come home from school on Dec. 5, 2013.

The next day, her body was found in a dumpster by two women digging through the trash container for aluminum cans. Lucero died of strangulation and her body showed signs of sexual assault, according to the medical examiner’s report.

Madrid’s DNA matched semen collected from Lucero’s body and he was subsequently arrested.

Madrid, a construction worker, was a friend of the girl’s mother and had lived at the family’s home at one time, according to police.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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