Aaron Gunches is scheduled for execution in Arizona on March 19, 2025 for the 2002 murder of Ted Price.
Call Governor Hobbs at 602-542-4331 with the following message:
“Hi. My name is [your name]. I am calling to ask that Gov. Hobbs not move forward with Arizona’s plan to resume executions on March 19, 2025 with the execution of Aaron Gunches. Gov. Hobbs promised an administration centered around transparency yet is allowing for the resumption of executions before an investigation into Arizona’s execution protocols could be completed. It is not too late to turn back now.”
In November 2002, the victim, Ted Price, went to visit his ex-wife, Katherine Lecher, in her apartment. Ted planned to stay with her until his school grant came in. The two argued a week and a half into his stay, which led to a physical altercation. Katherine hit Ted’s face with a telephone, causing him to appear dazy and unresponsive but conscious. Later that evening, Aaron came to see Katherine, who was his girlfriend at the time. After talking to her, he instructed her two roommates to put Ted and his belongings in Katherine’s car so that he could take him to a bus station. Jennifer, one of the roommates, drove the car to the station. Upon arrival, Aaron realized he did not have money to pay for Ted’s bus ticket, so he ordered Jennifer to drive out of the city and into the desert. When the car stopped and Ted got out, Aaron shot him four times. Aaron was subsequently charged with his kidnapping and murder and eventually sentenced to death. He represented himself at trial, pleaded guilty, and has consistently requested to be executed since.
Aaron’s execution in Arizona will be the state’s first since the practice was halted in 2022 after a series of botched lethal injections. Gov. Katie Hobbs ordered a state-wide moratorium until the situation could be properly investigated. She appointed David Duncan, a retired federal judge, to conduct the review but fired him before he could finish his investigation. Thereafter, she decided that an internal review would suffice, and the moratorium was subsequently lifted in November 2024.
Lethal injections are challenging to perform, and complications frequently arise. Inmates can bleed to death, experience mental torment or severe physical pain, and create a sensation of choking or burning. Lethal injections carry a significant unconstitutional risk of cruel and unusual punishment and should not be used, especially not by a state so seemingly desperate to execute its citizens.
While the vast majority of states with capital punishment continue on a downward trend away from executions, Arizona is continuing to go against this trend by carrying out executions.
Arizona, which has 112 prisoners on death row, last carried out three executions in 2022 following a nearly eight-year hiatus brought on by criticism that a 2014 execution was botched and because of difficulties obtaining drugs for execution.
Please sign the petition asking the Arizona governor to do everything in her power to stop this.