UPDATE: State seeking death penalty in Yuma double murder case

Deputy County Attorney submits "disclosure of aggravating circumstances in support of death penalty"

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Prosecutors with the state of Arizona filed documents stating they seek the death penalty against Trevon Emmanuel Wilhite, 28, the man accused of murdering a 25-year-old woman along with her two-year-old son.

In the documents filed Thursday in Yuma County Superior Court, County Attorney Jon R. Smith stated:

The defendant committed the offense to prevent a person's cooperation with an official law enforcement investigation, to prevent a person's testimony in a court proceeding, in retaliation for a person's cooperation with an official law enforcement investigation or in retaliation for a person's testimony in a court proceeding.

A.R.S. §13-751 (F) (10) Memorandum of Points and Authorities

RELATED: Family of double homicide victim speaks out for first time since murders

Wilhite is accused of murdering 25-year-old Tamacia Wilder and her two-year-old son, Roy, on August 24 at their home on Magnolia Avenue near First Street in Yuma.

In reference to both victims, court documents refer to Wilhite's actions as "especially heinous, cruel or depraved."

Yuma Police Department has confirmed the cause of death for both victims was blunt force trauma.

The last person sentenced to death in Yuma County was Preston Strong. He’s the man convicted behind the 'La Mesa murders' back in 2005. Strong was convicted of killing a family of five inside their home on La Mesa Street.

He was officially charged for the deaths in 2014. In 2017, Strong was convicted and sentenced. According to the Yuma County Attorney’s Office, it’s still in appeals.

The state has not executed anyone since 2014 when the lethal injection used left a convicted murderer snorting and gasping for nearly two hours.

As far as Wilhite - He's expected to be back in court on September 13th.

RELATED: Yuma double murder suspect faces judge

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