Leroy McGill is scheduled for execution in Arizona on May 20, 2026, for the 2002 murder of Charles Perez. McGill would be the third execution under the administrations of Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and Gov. Katie Hobbs after the executions of Aaron Gunches and Richard Djerf in 2025.
Call Gov. Hobbs at 602-542-4331 with the following message:
“Hi. My name is [your name]. I am calling to urge Gov. Hobbs to reverse course and halt all plans to execute Leroy McGill on May 20, 2026. We are deeply troubled that Gov. Hobbs ran on a promise of transparency yet has allowed executions in Arizona to resume before a full investigation into the state’s execution procedures could be completed. Thank you.”
REGISTER FOR VIRTUAL VIGIL BEGINNING AT 9AM MT ON 5/20/26.
The following is shared by our partners at Death Penalty Alternatives for Arizona:
During sentencing, Mr. McGill presented extensive evidence of lifelong instability and neglect:
- A deeply fractured and abusive childhood
- Repeated removal from his home due to lack of care
- Placement in multiple children’s homes and reform schools
- Early exposure to drugs and alcohol
- Long-term substance addiction, including chronic, daily methamphetamine use
- Evidence of psychological immaturity and susceptibility to coercive relationships
- Documented institutional stability, including working well in structured environments and requiring little supervision
- Experts testified that when Mr. McGill was placed in stable, structured settings as a child, he improved dramatically—but those environments were temporary, inconsistent, and ultimately removed.
- A defense psychologist noted that these were the only circumstances under which Mr. McGill ever “blossomed.”
- Neuropsychological testimony further explained how early neglect, substance dependency, and an abusive adult relationship impaired his judgment and decision-making leading up to the crime.
The clemency process is not a retry.
It is the only place left where the state can ask a different question:
Does executing this person now reflect justice—or merely the final abandonment of responsibility for every failure that came before the crime?
If carried out, Leroy’s execution in Arizona will be the state’s third 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 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.
While most states have moved away from the death penalty, Arizona is accelerating executions. Each warrant signed underscores the state’s embrace of a punishment that is arbitrary, racially biased, and out of step with evolving standards of decency.
We believe in accountability, and have sympathy for the victim’s family members, friends, and community. Their loss is tragic and unimaginable. But true justice and accountability do not require execution. This execution will not make us safer; it will simply add another act of violence to an already tragic story.
Please sign the petition asking the Arizona governor to do everything in her power to stop this execution, including issuing a stay, and seeking a path to clemency in the case.