An inmate, Clinton Hurley, has been was sentenced to natural life in prison for the murder of Maricopa County Sheriff’s Deputy Juan “Johnny” Ruiz.
On October 9, 2021, Hurley was arrested on multiple felony warrants and taken to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office substation in Avondale. Once there, Deputy Ruiz took off Hurley’s handcuffs to put him in a cell. Body camera video shows Hurley becoming combative and attacking Deputy Ruiz. During the struggle, Hurley hit Deputy Ruiz several times with the blunt end of a pair of medical shears and punched him repeatedly as the deputy was lying on the floor. Deputy Ruiz succumbed to his injuries and died days later at a hospital.
Hurley escaped using Deputy Ruiz’s keys and patrol car. He then stole the deputy’s second gun from the vehicle. He used the gun to try to carjack a truck before ultimately stealing a car from another victim.
He was captured later that night in Tonopah after firing shots at a family outside a home and being shot by the homeowner.
Deputy Ruiz’s brother spoke in court about the pride he felt when his brother became a deputy, and the tremendous loss his death was for their family. He added that the hate he and his family have felt since then is no longer worth it.
“We cannot bring him back…so, I just hope this puts an end to our grief,” said Deputy Ruiz’s brother.
The defendant pled guilty to all 16 charges against him:
- First-Degree Murder, a Class One Felony
- Two counts of Armed Robbery, a Class Two Felony
- Theft, a Class Two Felony
- Three counts of Aggravated Assault, a Class Three Felony
- Four counts of Attempt to Commit Armed Robbery, a Class Three Felony
- Two counts of Theft of Means of Transportation, a Class Three Felony
- Robbery, a Class Four Felony
- Robbery, a Class Four Felony
- Misconduct Involving Weapons, a Class Four Felony
“I have said this many times and I’m going to say it again; we must protect our men and women in law enforcement and never tolerate violence against them,” said County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “I’m very proud of the work of our prosecutors James Baumann and Christopher Sammons for the ultimate goal of getting justice and bringing closure to Deputy Ruiz’s family.”
Members of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, including Sheriff Jerry Sheridan, were present at the sentencing.
“I want to express my gratitude to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for their unwavering dedication in bringing this case to a close,” said Sheriff Jerry Sheridan. “My thoughts and prayers are with Sheriff’s Deputy Juan Ruiz’s family during this difficult time. I hope they find some measure of peace in knowing that they will always be part of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office family.”
I’d like to know what this guy did as a child – his family – his siblings ? where does this guy come from to get to this point in life?
Capital punishment must have been on the table. The crime fit two of the aggravating circumstances for capital murder:
1. Murder committed while in custody.
2. Murder of a law enforcement officer.
Clinton Hurley pleaded guilty to all charges. I’m guessing he did it to escape the death penalty. And the prosecution accepted the plea with a “life in jail” sentence in order to avoid the expense of a trial.
Don’t we have a death penalty for stuff like this? Not hatefully, just logically.
I’d like to know why this piece of trash didn’t get sentenced to death.
I certainly hope changes have been made that this particular crime cannot ever happen again. It certainly could have been prevented. A heart wrenching story all around. I really question warehousing a murderer of a police officer for life. I think it should be an automatic death penalty nationwide.