Find A Man Guilty Of Murdering An Entire Family

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:15

An inmate already serving time for another murder in an Arizona prison was found guilty last week of the terrible massacre in which his friend, his partner and their four children perished 12 years ago in the city of Yuma.

According to the jury's verdict, Preston Strong was responsible for the horrible deaths of Luis Ríos, 35, and his partner, Adrienne Heredia, 29, as well as the couple's four children, aged between 13 and age 6, the Associated Press agency reported.

The father and the youngest of the children were shot dead, while the mother and the other three children were suffocated. The reason for the killing, which lasted for hours and took place at Ríos' house in 2005, was the defendant's anger at his friend for refusing to continue leaving him money, according to authorities.

Prosecutors said during the trial that Strong's fingerprints were found in plastic bags near the bodies, along with his DNA on a nightstand and the steering wheel of Rio's car.

"This crime required information and access to the victims," said prosecutor John Tate, who assured that Strong had received thousands of dollars from his friend, with whom he fell out when the money tap was turned off.

In response, the defense said that the physical evidence found at the scene of the crime was due to the fact that the defendant was a friend of the family and noted that two witnesses said they had seen a Hispanic suspect leave the area, when Strong is African American.

After a period of deliberation, the juries endorsed the prosecution's version and found Strong guilty, who could now be sentenced to death.

The inmate is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of a doctor who was suffocated and beaten at his home in 2007.