Aaron Gunches

{{Short description|American murderer executed in Arizona (1971–2025)}}

{{Infobox criminal

| honorific_prefix =

| name = Aaron Gunches

| honorific_suffix =

| native_name =

| native_name_lang =

| image = Aaron Gunches (4x5 cropped).png

| image_upright =

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Department of Corrections photograph of Gunches

| birth_name = Aaron Brian Gunches

| birth_date = {{birth date|1971|6|30}}

| birth_place =

| death_date = {{death date and age|2025|3|19|1971|6|30}}

| death_place = Arizona State Prison, Florence, Arizona, U.S

| death_cause = Execution by lethal injection

| conviction_penalty = Death

| conviction_status = Executed

| spouse =

| children =

| parents =

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| website =

| motive =

| conviction = *First degree murder
Kidnapping
Attempted murder

| trial =

| trial_start =

| trial_end =

| comments =

| victims = Ted Price

| imprisoned = Arizona State Prison Complex – Eyman

}}

Aaron Brian Gunches (June 30, 1971 – March 19, 2025) was an American prisoner who was executed in Arizona after being convicted of the 2002 murder of Ted Price. Gunches attracted notoriety for repeatedly requesting his own execution and criticizing the state of Arizona for not carrying out his sentence. Gunches was the first person executed under a Democratic governor since the 2017 execution of William Morva in Virginia.

Crimes

On November 14, 2002, Gunches went to the home of his girlfriend, Katherine Lecher, in Mesa, Arizona. Upon arrival, he discovered that she had been involved in an altercation with her ex-husband, Ted Price, who had come to visit her earlier that day. Price had been struck in the face with a telephone and he was on the floor in a daze. Gunches then had his girlfriend and her roommates help load Price into his car, with the supposed intention to drop him off at a bus station. However, Gunches soon realized he did not have the money to buy Price a bus ticket. Gunches and an acquaintance then drove Price out into the desert off the Beeline Highway. As Price got out of the car, Gunches shot him four times, killing him.{{cite news|last=Kiefer|first=Michael|title=Death penalty tossed in '02 killing|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121035417/death-penalty-tossed-in-02-killing/|newspaper=The Arizona Republic|date=June 17, 2010|page=19|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=March 17, 2023|archive-date=March 31, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250331183011/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-arizona-republic-death-penalty-tosse/121035417/|url-status=live}}

According to Price's sister, Katherine was addicted to meth and was living in squalor with the two children she had with Price. On the day of the murder, Price allegedly threatened to call child protective services on Kat, accusing her of neglecting their children. In response, Kat called Gunches, her drug dealer at the time, and asked him to "take care" of the situation.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-16 |title='I have to be there for Ted': Karen Price to witness execution of Aaron Gunches, man convicted of killing her brother |url=https://www.12news.com/article/features/troy-hayden-reports/aaron-gunches-execution-ted-price-murder-sister-karen-to-witness/75-05d53d05-aaca-4f36-a1a5-2dd720322db5 |access-date=2025-03-19 |website=12news.com |language=en-US}}

On January 15, 2003, Arizona Department of Public Safety Officer Robert Flannery pulled over Gunches in his car during a routine traffic stop. Gunches then fired at Flannery and shot him twice. He then fled the scene. Flannery was injured in the shooting, but survived. After the shooting, a manhunt involving over fifty lawmen began. The day after the shooting, Gunches was found hiding in a haystack in Wenden and arrested.{{cite news|last=Whiting|first=Brent|title=Suspect in shooting of officer is identified|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121035404/suspect-in-shooting-of-officer-is/|newspaper=The Arizona Republic|date=January 18, 2003|page=9|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=March 17, 2023}} He was charged with two counts of attempted second-degree murder.{{cite news|title=Man charged in shots that injured patrolman|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121035408/man-charged-in-shots-that-injured/|newspaper=The Arizona Republic|date=February 13, 2003|page=22|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=March 17, 2023}}

Trial

In 2004, Gunches pleaded guilty to the murder of Ted Price.{{cite news |title=Maricopa County Attorney backs victim's family in push for killer's execution |url=https://ktar.com/story/5472947/maricopa-county-attorney-backs-victims-family-in-push-for-killers-execution/ |access-date=March 16, 2023 |publisher=KTAR |date=March 16, 2023}} In 2008, Gunches was sentenced to death.

Death warrant and execution

In November 2022, Gunches represented himself and asked the Arizona Supreme Court to issue his execution warrant so that justice could be served and the victims could get closure.{{cite news |title=Man on Arizona's death row requests execution |url=https://www.knau.org/knau-and-arizona-news/2022-12-06/man-on-arizonas-death-row-requests-execution |access-date=March 16, 2023 |publisher=NPR KNAU |date=December 6, 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Billeaud |first1=Jaques |title=Arizona court OKs execution request that AG tried to undo |url=https://apnews.com/article/arizona-executions-katie-hobbs-53c003881fe1fe16baca825ef444f075 |access-date=March 16, 2023 |publisher=Associated Press |date=March 2, 2023}} Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich asked the Arizona Supreme Court to issue a warrant for Gunches's execution. In January 2023, Gunches withdrew his request, saying recent executions were "torture." Attorney General Kris Mayes took office and on January 20, 2023, newly elected Governor of Arizona Katie Hobbs ordered a review of the state's death penalty protocols.{{cite news |last1=Billeaud |first1=Jaques |title=Arizona executions on hold amid review ordered by governor |url=https://apnews.com/article/arizona-state-government-crime-legal-proceedings-katie-hobbs-ef16f2efb25e68bd7df2860b75691645 |access-date=March 16, 2023 |publisher=Associated Press |date=January 20, 2023}} Mayes attempted to withdraw Brnovich's request for the warrant, but on March 2, 2023, the court issued the warrant for April 6, 2023, stating that it must issue the warrant after certain appellate proceedings were concluded.

Following the issuance, Governor Hobbs stated that the warrant authorized the execution of Gunches but did not require the state to carry out the execution. Karen Price, Ted Price's sister, then submitted a petition for special action asking the Arizona Supreme Court to direct Hobbs to carry out the warrant. Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell filed an amicus curiae brief supporting Karen Price's petition. Hobbs filed a motion stating the court should not consider Karen Price's motion because the state is not prepared to carry out an execution in a constitutionally sound manner and lacks correctional staff with proper expertise.{{cite news |last1=Pritchett |first1=Elizabeth |title=Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs scrutinized for plans to disregard court order authorizing execution |url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/arizona-gov-katie-hobbs-scrutinized-plans-disregard-court-order-authorizing-execution |access-date=March 16, 2023 |publisher=Fox News |date=March 16, 2023}} Arizona Department of Corrections Director Ryan Thornell said he was "unable to find enough documentation to understand key elements of the execution process and instead has had to piece information together through conversations with employees present at past executions."

The Arizona Supreme Court denied the request to extend the warrant, and did not order the State to execute Gunches. The warrant expired in April 2023.{{cite news |last1=Jenkins |first1=Jimmy |title=Judge takes no action to force Arizona to carry out execution |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2023/04/06/judge-decide-arizona-execution-warrant-dispute/70086947007/ |access-date=28 June 2024 |work=Arizona Republic's |date=April 6, 2023 |archive-date=28 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240628181130/https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2023/04/06/judge-decide-arizona-execution-warrant-dispute/70086947007/ |url-status=live }}

On June 5, 2024, another request for Gunches's execution warrant was filed by Mitchell on behalf of Maricopa County.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/maricopa-county-attorney-moves-seek-death-warrant-aaron-gunches|title=Maricopa County Attorney moves to seek death warrant for Aaron Gunches|work=FOX 10 Phoenix|date=June 5, 2024|access-date=June 6, 2024}} Attorney General Mayes moved to strike the motion, arguing that only the attorney general could file such a request. Attorney General Mayes announced on November 26 that she would request another warrant for Gunches within two weeks.{{cite news|last=Fischer|first=Howard|date=November 26, 2024|title=Executions to resume after 2-year pause|work=Arizona Capitol Times|url=https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2024/11/26/executions-to-resume-after-2-year-pause/|access-date=November 28, 2024|archive-url=https://archive.today/20241127041120/https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2024/11/26/executions-to-resume-after-2-year-pause/|archive-date=November 27, 2024|url-status=live}}

=2025 death warrant=

In early January 2025, Gunches again submitted a written request to be executed. He specifically requested the process be expedited to a mid-February execution date, and criticized the Arizona court system for dragging its feet in carrying out the execution. Gunches asked to skip the "legal formalities" of approving his execution.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-03 |title=Arizona prisoner asks to be executed sooner than state wants |url=https://ktar.com/story/5643430/arizona-asks-prisoner-executed-sooner/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250111175528/https://ktar.com/story/5643430/arizona-asks-prisoner-executed-sooner/ |archive-date=2025-01-11 |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=KTAR.com |language=en}} On January 10, the state attorney general filed a motion to seek an execution warrant,{{Cite web |last=Blasius |first=Melissa |date=2025-01-10 |title=Arizona seeks warrant to execute Aaron Gunches |url=https://www.abc15.com/news/state/arizona-seeks-warrant-to-execute-aaron-gunches |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250111180418/https://www.abc15.com/news/state/arizona-seeks-warrant-to-execute-aaron-gunches |archive-date=2025-01-11 |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix (KNXV) |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Arizona pushes forward with execution plan as federal government abandons same drug |date=23 January 2025 |url=https://azmirror.com/2025/01/23/arizona-pushes-forward-with-execution-plan-as-federal-government-abandons-same-drug/ |access-date=25 January 2025 |archive-date=25 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250125191221/https://azmirror.com/2025/01/23/arizona-pushes-forward-with-execution-plan-as-federal-government-abandons-same-drug/ |url-status=live }} and on February 11, the Arizona Supreme Court issued the warrant, scheduling Gunches's execution date for March 19, 2025.{{cite news |last1=Kiefer |first1=Michael |title=After decades of seeking death, Aaron Gunches will be executed March 19 |url=https://azmirror.com/2025/02/11/after-decades-of-seeking-death-aaron-gunches-will-be-executed-march-18/ |access-date=22 March 2025 |work=Arizona Mirror |date=11 February 2025}} After the warrant was issued, Gunches confirmed that he would not ask for a reprieve and that he still wanted his execution to proceed.{{Cite web |title=An Arizona prisoner whose execution is coming up won't ask for a reprieve |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/arizona-prisoner-whose-execution-coming-isnt-asking-reprieve-rcna195583 |access-date=March 10, 2025 |website=Associated Press |archive-date=March 10, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250310110954/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/arizona-prisoner-whose-execution-coming-isnt-asking-reprieve-rcna195583 |url-status=live }}

Following the execution of Jessie Hoffman Jr. on March 18, 2025, Aaron Gunches was one of four inmates scheduled to be executed over a three-day period, from March 18 to March 20, 2025. The other two were: Edward Thomas James of Florida (March 20, 2025), and Wendell Grissom of Oklahoma (March 20, 2025).{{cite news|url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250318-us-to-execute-four-death-row-inmates-this-week|title=US to execute four Death Row inmates this week|date=March 18, 2025|work=France 24}}

= Execution =

Gunches's execution took place on March 19, 2025, at the Florence State Prison.{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/arizona-execution-aaron-gunches-ted-price-e415c25a244be5a82ce0ee586990244e|title=Arizona executes a man who murdered his girlfriend's ex-husband|date=March 19, 2025|work=Associated Press}}{{Cite web |date=2025-03-19 |title=Arizona executes Aaron Gunches in state's first execution in nearly two years |url=https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/aaron-gunches-execution-arizona-b2718079.html |access-date=2025-03-19 |website=The Independent |language=en}} He was executed by lethal injection and was pronounced dead at 10:33 MST. His last meal consisted of a double western burger, spicy gyros, onion rings and baklava. Gunches gave no final statement.{{Cite news |last1=Riley |first1=Kiera |title=Aaron Brian Gunches executed by lethal injection |url=https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2025/03/19/aaron-brian-gunches-executed-by-lethal-injection/ |website=Arizona Capitol Times |date=March 19, 2025 |access-date=March 20, 2025 |archive-date=March 20, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250320042630/https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2025/03/19/aaron-brian-gunches-executed-by-lethal-injection/ |url-status=live }}