The Arizona Supreme Court today will consider whether to issue an execution warrant for a man convicted of murdering his adoptive mother back in 1984. After murdering her, he chopped her body up into several pieces, and scattered them in dumpsters near the Florence Prison -- where he was an inmate at the time.
Robert Henry Moorman was first sent to prison on a kidnapping conviction out of Coconino County in 1972. While incarcerated, Moorman was granted a "compassionate furlough" from the prison so he could spend time with his adoptive mother.
The two stayed at the Blue Mist Motel across the street from the prison, where
Moorman bound and gagged the woman before strangling and fatally
stabbing her. Then he chopped her body up into several pieces and
disposed of it in dumpsters throughout Florence. Twenty-six years later,
Moorman hasn't been executed, making him Arizona's longest serving death row inmate -- and costing taxpayers about $24,000 a year for food and housing alone (what Moorman's cost the state in legal expenses is not included in the $24,000. More on that here).
Moorman's nearly three decades on death row could soon come to an end --
if the court issues an execution warrant, he'll be executed some time
in the next two months.
The court also is considering issuing an execution warrant for another death row inmate today.
Robert Charles Towery was convicted of murdering a man while robbing his
home in 1991. He was sentenced to death in 1992 and has remained on
death row ever since.
Like Moorman, if the court issues an execution warrant, Towery will be executed some time in the next two months.
We'll let you know what the court decides -- check back for updates.
