An Arizona man has been sentenced to two consecutive natural life sentences for the calculated murder of two people in Mesa.
“In two minutes, this man killed two people in such a cold-blooded, calculated way, making prison for the rest of his life the right place for him to be,” stated County Attorney Rachel Mitchell.
Before meeting his victims on January 28, 2022, the defendant, Aaron Aldric Thomas, 55, planned their murder.
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Investigators say he acquired a gun, gloves, and a mask and arranged to buy drugs from the victim at his residence.
As soon as the victim opened the door and turned his back to him, Thomas, without saying a word, raised his handgun and began shooting the victim in the back.
As Thomas was about to leave with the stolen drugs, a second victim started screaming, begging for her life. Once again, without hesitation, he shot her multiple times before shooting the first victim again at point-blank range.
During their investigation, police were able to obtain DNA from a retaining wall that the defendant had touched while fleeing the home.
Police also found video footage from inside the home, the driveway, nearby residences, and businesses that placed the defendant at the scene of the crime. Police tracked the defendant to his home in Laveen, where he was arrested.
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At the time of his arrest, the defendant was a 'prohibited possessor' from prior felonies.
“I commend Homicide Bureau Chief Jon Eliason and Deputy County Attorney John Hudson for their work on this complicated case,” shared County Attorney Rachel Mitchell.
On December 14, 2023, Thomas was found guilty of two counts of First-Degree Murder, a Class One Dangerous Felony, two counts of Armed Robbery, a Class Two Dangerous Felony, and one count of Burglary in the First-Degree, a Class Two Dangerous Felony.
Thomas was sentenced on May 3rd and received a natural life sentence for each count of first-degree murder and 21 years for each of the remaining charges.
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