What's happened
Leroy Dean McGill has been put to death at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Florence for the 2002 murder of Charles Perez after a drug-fueled attack that also injured Nova Banta. The execution follows a long hiatus and a series of recent executions nationwide.
What's behind the headline?
Key questions
- What changed? Arizona has resumed executions after an eight-year pause, with McGill’s death marking a continued use of pentobarbital in lethal injections.
- Who benefits? The state seeks to resolve long-standing cases and satisfy ongoing political pressure around capital punishment.
- What’s next? Tennessee and Florida are scheduled to carry out executions this week; Arizona’s protocol remains under scrutiny after 2014 issues.
What this signals
- The restart of executions reflects a broader federal and state trend toward resuming capital punishment after pauses, using a standardized pentobarbital-based protocol.
- Public and legal scrutiny persists around drug choices, method, and the ethics of capital punishment.
How we got here
McGill was convicted in 2004 of murder, arson, attempted murder and related counts after he threw gasoline and a lit match at Perez and Banta during a dispute over a stolen gun. Perez died of his injuries; Banta survived with severe burns. The state had halted executions for almost eight years before resuming in 2025.
Our analysis
The Independent reports on McGill’s death, noting the last-ditch legal bid was rejected. AP News provides the scheduling and background of the 2002 attack and Perez's death.
Go deeper
- What is the status of capital punishment in Arizona now?
- How do recent executions compare to prior years in Arizona and nationwide?
- What details remain contested in McGill’s case?