Arizona set to execute a prisoner for the killing of a man set on fire in 2002 attack
Arizona is set Wednesday to execute a prisoner convicted of fatally setting a man on fire over 20 years ago
www.independent.co.ukI can share what’s publicly known, but I don’t have live access to verify the very latest updates beyond what’s already published.
Summary
- Leroy Dean McGill is an Arizona convict whose execution was scheduled for May 20, 2026, by lethal injection, following involvement in a 2002 Phoenix arson/murder case. This has been covered by multiple outlets with details on charges, victims, and the execution date.[1][4][5]
- Reports indicate he was convicted of first-degree murder and related offenses for the July 2002 attack that killed Charles Perez and injured Nova Banta, with Banta surviving the assault.[2][5]
- The Arizona Supreme Court issued a warrant authorizing the execution in March 2026 after the defendant had exhausted appeals, setting the May 20, 2026 date.[5][2]
- There are additional public references (including coverage from local outlets and international outlets) confirming the execution timeline and context, including descriptions of the crime and McGill’s death-row status.[7][8][9][10]
What this means for you
- If you’re tracking case specifics (exact legal filings, last-minute stays, or changes to the execution schedule), the most reliable updates tend to come from state court releases and major local outlets in Arizona (e.g., AZ Central, 3TV/CBS 5, ABC15) and national coverage from outlets like The Independent or Murderpedia for background. I don’t have live access to pull the very latest statuses beyond those reports, so I’d recommend checking those sources directly for any last-minute developments.[10][2][5][7]
Would you like me to pull the most recent public updates from specific outlets or compile a concise timeline of the events and key dates (2002 crime, trial, appeals, execution warrant, May 20, 2026) with citations?