Arizona Supreme Court: State of Arizona v. Preston Alton Strong
Case No. CR-17-0201-AP Filed September 3, 2024
ISSUES: NOTE: This is an automatic appeal because it is a capital case.
- Preindictment delay
- Change of venue due to pretrial publicity
- Admissibility of evidence
- Juror misconduct
- Constitutionality of death penalty
DECISIOIN:
- The court found no unreasonable preindictment delay or prejudice to the defendant.
- The trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying the change of venue motion.
- The trial court’s evidentiary rulings were not an abuse of discretion.
- No juror misconduct was found after an evidentiary hearing.
- The death penalty was upheld as constitutional and properly applied.
Synopsis:
Preston Strong was convicted of six counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death for the 2005 killings of Luis Rios, Adrienne Heredia, and Heredia’s four children. The Arizona Supreme Court affirmed Strong’s convictions and death sentences, rejecting all nine of his appeal claims.
Outcome of the Case:
The Arizona Supreme Court affirmed Strong’s convictions and death sentences for all six counts of first-degree murder.