After nearly two decades of appeals, court hearings, and delays, Arizona is preparing to execute death row inmate Leroy McGill by lethal injection on May 20, 2026, for one of the state’s most horrifying acts of violence in recent memory. Prosecutors say McGill carried out a brutal revenge-fueled attack in 2002 when he allegedly doused Charles Perez and Perez’s girlfriend, Nova Bant, with gasoline before setting them on fire in a shocking act investigators described as deliberate and merciless.
According to court records, the attack left Charles Perez suffering catastrophic burns across his body before he later died from his injuries, while Nova Bant miraculously survived despite enduring severe burns and permanent physical scars that changed her life forever. Detectives investigating the scene reportedly described it as chaotic and horrifying, with emergency responders racing to save the victims as flames engulfed the area. Prosecutors argued the attack was driven by rage and carried out with full intent to k!ll, leading jurors to ultimately sentence McGill to d*eath.
Now, as the execution date approaches, the case has once again captured national attention. Supporters of the death sentence argue the execution finally delivers justice for the victims and their families after years of painful legal battles, while critics continue debating the ethics of capital punishment and the role McGill’s troubled upbringing and personal history may have played in the path that led to the crime.
For the surviving victim and the families involved, however, the memories of that night never disappeared.
