Glendale man sentenced to death for 2014 murder of estranged wife

PHOENIX — A 63-year-old Glendale man was sentenced Thursday to death for the 2014 murder of his estranged wife.

Edward Littleton McCauley was convicted in November of murdering 45-year-old Dawn McCauley on the evening of Nov. 24, 2014.

McCauley killed his estranged wife outside her home as she attempted to leave for her night shift at work.

“This murder was a heinous and callous act,” Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel said in a press release. “In the state of Arizona, a sentence of death is reserved for the worst of the worst. The calculated actions taken by this defendant to murder his estranged wife justify this outcome.”

McCauley sent profanity-laced text messages to members of the victim’s family immediately after killing her, according to prosecutors.

He was located and arrested at a West Valley restaurant the day after the murder.

Upon being arrested, McCauley told police where to find the gun he murdered his estranged wife with and admitted killing her.

McCauley also admitted he had considered murdering the victim since at least 2012.

He wrote down his intention to murder his estranged wife in a journal, with entries noting how many days remained until he would kill her.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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