Lawrence Libberton
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- Gender
- male
- Country
- USA
- Location
- Maricopa County, Arizona, USA
- Date of birth
- February 26, 1961
- Age at first offence
- 20
- Characteristics
- murder for hire, hate crime, homosexual, abuse, torture
- Victim profile
- Juan Maya (gay man)
- Method of murder
- Shooting
- Date(s) of murder
- November 16, 1981
- Years active
- 1981
- Date of arrest
- —
- Status
-
Sentenced to death
Sentenced to death on October 25, 1982
Case record
Defendant
Lawrence Libberton
Victim
Juan Maya (Hispanic)
Background
On November 16, 1981, Juan Maya picked up 14-year-old Marty Norton and made homosexual advances towards him. Norton rebuffed Maya, but suggested that he might find a more hospitable reception in a trailer belonging to Steven James.
Norton followed Maya into the trailer, where James, Lawrence Libberton, and Norton took turns beating him.
The offence
After beating Maya, the three forced Maya into the back seat of his own car and drove toward Salome, where James' parents owned some property with an abandoned mine shaft on it.
En route, a police officer stopped them but Libberton threatened to kill Maya if he attempted to draw the officer's attention.
After arriving at the Salome property around dawn, James ordered Maya to step up to the mine shaft. As Maya pleaded for his life, James fired directly at him from a distance of less than 5 feet. Maya charged James and tried to get the gun, so Libberton and Norton began striking Maya with large rocks and a board.
After Maya fell to the ground, they fired point blank at him three more times. Nothing came out of the pistol because the barrel was fouled with debris.
They then dragged Maya to the mine shaft and threw him in, dropping rocks and railroad ties on top of him.
Investigation
Norton pled to several charges as a juvenile and testified against Libberton and James.
Trial
The trial presiding judge was Rufus C. Coulter, Jr. The prosecutor was Myrna Parker. The start of trial was June 23, 1982. The verdict was June 30, 1982.
Sentencing
The sentencing date was October 25, 1982. Libberton was sentenced to death. The aggravating circumstances were pecuniary gain and especially heinous/cruel/depraved. The mitigating circumstances were none.
Appeals
State v. Libberton, 141 Ariz. 132, 685 P.2d 1284 (1984).
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