Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced on Apr. 14 that Adrian Aguilar has been sentenced to life in prison, plus an additional 26 years, for the murder of his 19-year-old girlfriend, Amira Crofton, in Tempe.
The case centers on a violent incident from June 2023 when Aguilar was driving with Crofton around Tempe. After seeing a text message from another man on her phone, Aguilar accused Crofton of cheating and threatened her. Despite her repeated denials, he shot her and continued to drive around the city for approximately 45 minutes while shooting her multiple times.
Police responded to reports near Broadway Road and 48th Street after a witness saw Aguilar firing several shots at the passenger seat before leaving the scene. Officers found him nearby with a gunshot wound; he initially claimed his car had been attacked but later confessed during interviews that he shot Crofton because he believed she disrespected him. He also admitted to shooting himself in the shoulder.
Crofton suffered eleven gunshot wounds to her head, neck, and torso as well as other injuries. During police interviews, Aguilar said that Crofton was scared and crying during the attack and asked repeatedly to be taken home.
In February this year, a jury found Aguilar guilty of first-degree murder (a Class One Felony), kidnapping (a Class Two Felony), and two counts of aggravated assault (Class Three Felonies).
“This young woman placed her trust in the defendant, and he repaid that trust with brutal violence,” said County Attorney Mitchell. “His actions were callous, calculated, and rooted in jealousy. Thanks to the dedicated work of prosecutors Shaylee Beasley and Katie Staab, he has been held accountable and will spend his life in prison.”
