Daren Lee Bolton

Case identifiers

• Name: Daren Lee Bolton

Timeline

• June 27, 1986 — Bolton kidnapped the 2 1/2-year-old victim from a bedroom in her parents' house in Tucson.
• July 1, 1986 — The victim's body was discovered by some boys playing in the area.
• 1984 — Bolton had assault convictions in Champaign, leaving his fingerprints on file in Illinois.
• 1985 — Bolton had assault convictions in Champaign, leaving his fingerprints on file in Illinois.
• 1987 — Tucson police sent Bolton's prints in 1987 to all states that use the fingerprint-matching system, which Arizona does not have.
• 1982 — Bolton was charged with the sexual assault and slaying of 7-year-old Cathy Fritz of Tucson.
• November 1990 — Authorities in Illinois matched Bolton's prints to those found on a window at the Pickett home and in the abandoned vehicle.
• October 28, 1992 — Start of trial.
• November 12, 1992 — Verdict.
• February 22, 1993 — Sentencing.
• June 19, 1996 — Executed by lethal injection in Arizona.

The offence

On the night of June 27, 1986, Bolton kidnapped the 2 1/2-year-old victim from a bedroom in her parents' house in Tucson. He took her to an abandoned taxi cab, undressed her, stabbed her in the chest once, and redressed her. Bolton left her to bleed to death.

The victim's body was discovered on July 1, 1986, by some boys who were playing in the area.

After Bolton was charged with Zosha's murder, detectives linked him to the 1982 sexual assault and slaying of 7-year-old Cathy Fritz of Tucson. Bolton had been charged with Cathy's death, too.

Investigation

Bolton became a prime suspect in the Pickett case in November 1990, when authorities in Illinois used that state's automated fingerprint-indexing system to match Bolton's prints to those found on a window at the Pickett home and in the abandoned vehicle.

Tucson police had sent the prints in 1987 to all states that use the fingerprint-matching system, which Arizona does not have. Bolton's prints were on file in Illinois because of assault convictions in 1984 and 1985 in Champaign. The match occurred during a training session for Illinois State Police officers, according to court documents.

Court documents said Bolton's childhood was a nightmare. His mother made him sit up all night watching television with her and beat him with a strap when he drifted off to sleep. Once she nearly killed him with a knife. His father referred to him as a loser and told him he would amount to nothing.

Bolton said his dad communicated best with his fists. Bolton introduced the boy early to alcohol, marijuana and cocaine. When young Bolton brought home a report card with two As, one B, a C and a D, his dad praised him for the As and B, then beat him for the C and D, pushing the boy's head through a plaster wall.

When Bolton dropped out of school in the 11th grade, he had a string of assault charges. A court psychologist wrote that the youth was suicidal. The psychologist quoted him at the time as saying:

"I haven't succeeded in killing myself yet, but will some day."

Arrest / pre-trial custody

Bolton was serving a prison term in Arizona on unrelated charges of kidnapping, sexual abuse and indecent exposure. In 1990, he was in prison when the chance matching of fingerprints linked him to Zosha's murder.

Trial

Participants

• Presiding Judge: William L. Scholl
• Prosecutor: Kathleen Mayer

Proceedings

• Start of Trial: October 28, 1992
• Verdict: November 12, 1992

Sentencing

• Sentencing: February 22, 1993

Sentence basis / factors

• Victim under age 15 (aggravating)
• Especially heinous, cruel or depraved (aggravating)
• Mitigating Circumstances: None

Bolton was sentenced to death in 1993 after being found guilty of kidnapping and murdering the little girl, Zosha Lee Pickett, seven years earlier. The victim had been abducted from her bedroom at her Tucson home, taken to an abandoned taxicab two blocks away, raped and then stabbed and left to die.

Appeals / published opinions

• Published Opinions: State v. Bolton___, Ariz.__, 896 P.2d 830 (1995).

Bolton consistently maintained his innocence and shunned all appeals.

Outcome

Bolton was executed by lethal injection in Arizona on June 19, 1996.

At his death, he was awaiting trial in the murder of another young girl.

Aftermath

No last meal was specified. Final words were none.

Other details

• The condemned prisoner was described as a 29-year-old habitual sex offender.
• The execution occurred shortly after midnight in the death house of the state prison complex about 60 miles southeast of Phoenix.