Husband of former Maricopa County attorney kills 2 women, then self

The widower of a former Maricopa County attorney shot and killed two women before killing himself during a holiday party on Christmas Eve, according to police.

David De Nitto, 47 — the former husband of Allister Adel, who died in 2022 a month after resigning as county attorney — was found dead at a home near 5700 N. Second Ave. about 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, according to the Phoenix Police Department. The home is near the intersection of Central Avenue and Bethany Home Road.

Before killing himself with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, De Nitto shot two women — Cynthia Domini, 83, and Maryalice Cash, 47, police said. Both women were pronounced dead at a local hospital.

De Nitto shot the women during an altercation at the home, according to police. He and Cash were in a relationship, though police did not describe the nature of it. Detectives are investigating what led up to the murder-suicide.

County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, who succeeded Adel, called the deaths a “tragedy” in a statement on Monday.

“It is impossible to comprehend a tragedy such as this,” Mitchell said. “Words cannot adequately express the flood of sorrow. I ask the community to join me in praying for the families affected and, most especially, Allister’s children. I also ask that the community surround the families with love, kindness, and a respect for the need for privacy.”

Adel, 45, died on April 30, 2022, following a series of health complications. In 2020, she fell in her home and hit her head, resulting in a brain injury. In 2021, after suffering from an eating disorder and alcohol abuse, Adel sought treatment in a rehabilitation facility.

Adel’s death left De Nitto “utterly heartbroken,” he said in April 2022. Adel was survived by De Nitto and two children.

"This May we would have celebrated 20 years of marriage," De Nitto wrote in the statement that was released after Adel's death. "My family and I are utterly heartbroken by this unimaginable loss. We are so very proud to call Allister wife and mom."

Adel was appointed county attorney in October 2019 and became the first woman to lead the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, one of the largest prosecuting agencies in the country. Adel won election to a full term as county attorney in November 2020. From 2004 to 2011, she prosecuted gang and drug crimes in the office.

Her nearly three-year tenure as county attorney was marked by controversy over fabricated charges against Black Lives Matter activists and questions about her ability to lead the agency. Adel left office on March 25, 2022.