Arizona Supreme Court issues execution warrant for convicted killer Richard Djerf

PHOENIX — The Arizona Supreme Court granted a warrant of execution for convicted killer Richard Djerf on Tuesday.

The state of Arizona filed for the warrant in late July and it sets Djerf’s date of execution as Oct. 17, according to the Arizona Supreme Court.

Djerf is on death row for killing four members of a Phoenix family in 1993.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes filed a motion in May of this year that gave the Supreme Court notice of the state’s intention to seek the execution warrant for Djerf and requested a briefing schedule.

Why was an execution warrant issued for Richard Djerf?

On Sept. 14, 1993, Djerf murdered Patricia and Albert Luna Sr. as well as their children, Rochelle and Damien.

The murders were reportedly retribution after another son, Albert Luna Jr., burglarized Djerf’s home.

Djerf was charged with their murders the same year. He was also charged with kidnapping, assault, sexual assault, burglary, theft and attempted arson.

However, in 1995, as part of agreement, Djerf pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder for the family’s deaths and the other charges were dismissed.

In the announcement, the Supreme Court noted that the agreement expressly stated that there would no limits placed on sentencing.

Djerf was given the death sentence for each of the murders.

Djerf used all of his state and federal appeals, but the Supreme Court upheld the death sentences and stated that he entered the guilty pleas “knowingly, voluntarily and intelligently.”

State law requires that once a conviction and death sentence have been affirmed and no more legal challenges are possible, the Supreme Court must issue an execution warrant when the State requests one.

Richard Djerf will be Arizona’s 2nd execution of 2025

After a more than two year hiatus, Djerf will be the state’s second death row inmate to die by lethal injection this year.

Aaron Gunches was put to death on March 19 for the 2002 murder of Ted Price, his girlfriend’s ex-husband.

Arizona currently has 108 inmates on death row, according to the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry.

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