Arizona schedules first execution of 2026
Arizona man who set a man on fire during a 2002 attack is scheduled to be executed in May.
tucson.comHere are the latest developments on Leroy McGill based on recent reporting.
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May 2026: Arizona's first death-penalty execution of the year was scheduled for Leroy McGill, who was convicted in 2004 for the July 2002 Phoenix attack in which he set two victims on fire. The execution date was set for May 20, 2026, after the Arizona Supreme Court granted the execution warrant and McGill waived further appeals, clemency, or a re-sentencing process. [Sources describe the warrant and scheduling of the May 20 execution in Florence, AZ.]
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Context on the case: McGill was convicted of first-degree murder, arson, and related offenses in connection with the 2002 attack that left Charles Perez dead and Nova Banta seriously injured; three other people escaped the apartment fire. His legal team had argued mitigating factors, but the courts did not grant relief, and McGill reportedly declined interviews and waived clemency.
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Broader coverage: Local outlets and national papers followed the status of the case through spring 2026, noting that this would be Arizona’s first execution of the year and part of a resumption of executions after a pause in rate and policy changes by the state government.
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Last update in May 2026: Several outlets reported that the May 20 execution was proceeding, with news organizations confirming the date and basic details of the case; additional coverage summarized the events around the execution process and the victims’ families’ responses.
If you’d like, I can pull direct excerpts from any single article or compile a brief timeline of key dates in this case. I can also provide links to the primary sources for verification.