Arizona carried out the execution of Leroy Dean McGill on May 20, 2026, more than two decades after he was convicted of murdering Charles Perez in a gasoline-fueled attack that prosecutors described as especially cruel. McGill, 63, was executed by lethal injection at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Florence and was pronounced dead at 10:26 a.m. local time following the administration of pentobarbital. State officials reported that the procedure was completed without complications and marked Arizona’s first execution of 2026.
The case stemmed from events that occurred on July 13, 2002, inside a north Phoenix apartment occupied by Charles Perez and his girlfriend, Nova Banta. According to prosecutors and court records, Perez and Banta had accused McGill of stealing a gun from their residence before the confrontation escalated into violence. Authorities said McGill threw gasoline on both victims while they were sitting on a couch and then ignited the fuel with a lit match, engulfing them in flames. Evidence presented during the case indicated that McGill had mixed gasoline with Styrofoam to create a sticky, highly flammable substance that would burn hotter and remain attached to the victims.
Perez suffered catastrophic injuries and died the following day, while Banta survived despite sustaining third-degree burns over approximately three-quarters of her body. Her testimony later became a key part of the prosecution’s case. Investigators also charged McGill with attempted murder, arson, and endangerment because the fire spread through the apartment complex and placed additional residents at risk. In 2004, a jury convicted McGill of first-degree murder and related charges before sentencing him to death. Jurors deliberated for less than an hour before reaching the guilty verdict.
Over the following years, McGill’s attorneys filed multiple appeals arguing that factors including childhood abuse, mental impairment, and psychological immaturity should have been considered more heavily during sentencing. Courts ultimately rejected those arguments, concluding that McGill had exhausted available legal remedies. In March 2026, the Arizona Supreme Court issued an execution warrant scheduling his execution for May 20. Final attempts to delay the execution were denied.
On the day of the execution, prison officials reported that McGill requested a final meal consisting of onion rings, bread and butter, green salad, and chocolate cake. Witnesses said he appeared calm throughout the process and acknowledged people in the viewing area before the lethal injection began. His final statement was, “I just want to thank everyone for being so accommodating and nice.” Reporters present also stated that he was heard saying, “I’m going home soon,” shortly before the procedure started. After the drug was administered, McGill breathed heavily and made snoring sounds before being pronounced dead approximately 21 minutes after the IV process began.
McGill’s execution reignited discussion about Arizona’s use of the death penalty, particularly after years of controversy surrounding execution protocols and past botched procedures in the state. Supporters of the execution argued that it delivered long-awaited justice for Charles Perez and recognition for the suffering endured by Nova Banta, while opponents continued to question the effectiveness and morality of capital punishment. More than twenty years after the attack, the case remains one of Arizona’s most notorious murder prosecutions involving arson, extreme violence, and the death penalty.
