In Arizona, a 55-year-old man was executed for the murder of a Phoenix family of four, marking a significant moment in the state’s use of capital punishment.
Richard Kenneth Djerf received a lethal injection for the brutal slaying of Albert Luna Sr., his wife Patricia, and their children, 18-year-old Rochelle and 5-year-old Damien, an act that dates back to 1993.
This execution represented the second instance of capital punishment carried out by Arizona in the year 2025.
The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) confirmed that Djerf was pronounced dead at 10:40 a.m. They reported that the execution unfolded smoothly and without any complications.
According to John Barcello, the deputy director of ADCRR, Djerf offered no resistance during his final moments, as he shared in a press conference held on Friday.
Barcello further detailed that the process of inserting the IV began at 10:05 a.m. and concluded by 10:21 a.m., adhering to the established schedule.
Djerf’s veins were ‘not optimal,’ which resulted in ‘a few attempts’ before the IV could be placed properly.
After receiving the first of two pentobarbital shots, the convicted killer ‘took a few heavy breaths with a brief snoring sound’ prior to dying.
Richard Kenneth Djerf, 55, died by lethal injection for the 1993 murders of a family-of-four
Djerf was declared dead at 10.40am Friday via lethal injection
Djerf’s last meal was a double cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato, onion rings with ketchup, a slice of cherry pie and whipped cream, plus a 20-ounce Pepsi with ice.
He did not offer any last words, Barcello said.
On September 14, 1993, Djerf went to the Luna family residence with a handgun, knife, gloves and handcuffs, according to court documents.
Prosecutors said Djerf was exacting his retribution on Albert Luna Jr., a former friend who had broken into Djerf’s apartment that January and stolen his electronic equipment and AK-47 assault rifle.
Djerf became ‘determined to take revenge,’ court documents said, and forced his way into the Luna’s Maryvale house after pretending to be delivering flowers.
Prosecutors said Djerf tied Rochelle’s wrists to the bed, forcibly removed her clothes with a knife and proceeded to rape her.
Afterwards, he stabbed the 18-year-old in the chest and head, and slit her throat.
Djerf handcuffed Albert Luna Sr. after he arrived home from work. He hit him in the back of the head ‘multiple times’ with a baseball bat, which court documents said sent blood flying ‘throughout the room.’
Albert Luna Sr., Patricia Luna, Rochelle Luna and Damien Luna (L-R) were murdered in their west Phoenix home in September 1993 by Richard Djerf
Djerf was executed at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Florence, Arizona
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said the victims and their loved ones ‘deserve closure’
As Djerf plotted to kill five-year-old Damien, Albert lunged at him with a pocketknife – but Djerf shot him six times.
Finally, he shot Patricia and Damien in the head ‘at close range’ after tying them to kitchen chairs.
The four bodies were discovered by Albert Jr., who called the police.
Meanwhile, Djerf was telling his girlfriend that he had ‘murdered four members of the Luna family and described to her how he had done it,’ prosecutors said.
Djerf allegedly called the events ‘really awesome.’
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, the Arizona Attorney General, said: ‘Today should be about the members of the Luna family, who Richard Djerf brutally murdered that September day in 1993.
‘Those four innocent victims deserve justice and their loved ones deserve closure.’
Last month, Djerf apologized for the pain he caused and said he hoped his death would bring ‘some measure of peace.’
Arizona has paused executions twice since 2014
Djerf’s death was the 39th court-ordered execution so far this year in the US
The history of the death penalty in Arizona is complicated, with the state having paused executions twice since 2014.
That year, death row inmate Joseph Wood took almost two hours to die after being injected with 15 drug doses.
Wood’s attorneys said he gasped ‘more than 600 times’ before dying and tried to stop his execution while it was ongoing to no avail.
Executions continued in 2022, although with more apparent problems.
Arizona killed Clarence Dixon, Frank Atwood and Murray Hopper that year, but their executions had ‘problems’ and were criticized by reporters and defense attorneys, per the Death Penalty Information Center.
As a result, executions were put on hold again by state governor Katie Hobbs who ordered the death penalty to be reviewed because Arizona’s history of executions ‘resulted in serious questions.’
However, that review ended in November 2024 when the Democrat governor fired the retired federal magistrate judge she had appointed to complete it.
Djerf’s death was the 39th court-ordered execution so far this year in the US – and the second in Arizona.
In March, Aaron Brian Gunches was executed for the 2002 murder of Ted Price.
Djerf’s execution was also the fourth in the country this week, following deaths in Mississippi, Florida and Missouri.
