In a grim milestone for the state, Arizona carried out its first execution of 2026 on May 20, putting 63-year-old Leroy Dean McGill to death by lethal injection for one of the most horrific crimes in Phoenix history. More than two decades after the brutal 2002 attack, McGill paid the ultimate price for dousing 21-year-old Charles Perez and his 24-year-old girlfriend Nova Banta in a gasoline-Styrofoam mixture — a sticky, napalm-like substance designed to burn hotter and longer — then setting them ablaze as they sat on a couch in a north Phoenix apartment.
Perez suffered unimaginable agony and died the next day from his injuries, while Banta survived with devastating third-degree burns over 75% of her body. Prosecutors described the act as “especially cruel,” stemming from a petty dispute after the couple accused McGill of stealing a shotgun. McGill showed little remorse throughout his appeals, even as victims’ families waited more than 23 years for justice.
In his final moments inside the death chamber at Arizona State Prison Complex in Florence, McGill remained calm. His last words were: “I just want to thank everyone for being so accommodating and nice. I’m going home soon.” He was pronounced dead at 10:26 a.m. His last meal included cottage pie, green salad, onion rings, bread and butter, and chocolate cake.
The execution brings closure to a case that shocked Arizona, as the state resumes carrying out death sentences after years of delays. For the families, it marks the end of a long nightmare — though the scars of that fiery night can never be erased.
