An Arizona death row inmate, whose execution was imminent, has died in an apparent suicide at a state prison facility. Richard Djerf, 61, was found unresponsive in his cell at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Florence on Saturday morning.
Corrections officers and medical staff immediately initiated life-saving measures, but their efforts were unsuccessful. Djerf was pronounced dead at the scene. A preliminary investigation points to suicide as the cause of death.
Djerf had been on death row for over three decades after being convicted for the brutal 1991 murders of two men in Tucson. His execution had been scheduled for 6th November, just weeks away.
A Grisly Triple Murder and a Decades-Long Legal Battle
Djerf's conviction stemmed from a horrific crime spree. He was found guilty of murdering 26-year-old Michael Sandberg and 41-year-old Patrick Redmond. The court heard how Djerf also attempted to murder Redmond's wife, who survived the attack but was left with severe injuries, including the loss of an eye.
The motive was believed to be robbery. Djerf, along with an accomplice, targeted the Redmonds' home. After the violence, the pair stole the family car and fled the state, embarking on a multi-state crime spree before eventually being captured.
The Long Wait on Death Row
Having been sentenced to death in 1993, Richard Djerf became one of Arizona's longest-serving death row inmates. His impending execution was set to be carried out by lethal injection. His death means the state of Arizona has now carried out 17 executions since 1992, with Djerf's being the first since November 2022.
The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reclamation has stated that all inmate deaths are thoroughly investigated in conjunction with local law enforcement. An official inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Djerf's death is currently underway.
