Locals React to Arizona’s Decision to Resume Executions
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Attorney General Kris Mayes has announced plans to seek an execution warrant for Aaron Brian Gunches, who has been on death row since his conviction for the murder of his girlfriend’s ex-husband. This decision marks the end of a two-year pause in executions in Arizona and has reignited discussions about the death penalty across the state.
The resumption of executions also brings renewed focus to other death row cases, including that of Preston Strong, a Yuma man convicted in 2017 for the infamous 2005 “La Mesa Murders.” Strong was found guilty of killing six people, including four children, in a crime that shocked the Yuma community.
As the state prepares to resume capital punishment, local residents are weighing in on the controversial issue. Herb Smith, a longtime Yuma resident, expressed his opposition to the death penalty, stating, “Life in prison is okay. We need to get people off the streets, there’s no doubt about that, but I don’t believe we should be taking lives.”
Heather Somerhill, another Yuma resident, echoed similar sentiments, advocating for life imprisonment instead of execution. She said, “If they kill them, they off, they are just doing the jobs that everyone else is on the streets, so might as well show them different. Lock them up for the rest of their life and make them change. They'll have no choice otherwise.”
The attorney general’s announcement is expected to reignite debates over capital punishment both locally and statewide. Supporters argue that executions serve as justice for heinous crimes, while opponents question the morality and effectiveness of the practice.
Officials anticipate an execution warrant for Gunches will be issued in the coming weeks. As this development unfolds, it remains a deeply polarizing issue for Arizona residents.
Stay tuned for updates as the story develops.
