Willard John, 36, of Cibeque, Arizona, was found guilty of Second Degree Murder by a federal jury in Phoenix on July 11, 2014. The case was tried before U.S. District Judge James A. Teilborg. The defendant, who remains in custody, is scheduled to be sentenced before Judge Teilborg on October 15, 2014.
The evidence at trial showed that John killed the mother of his two young children on or about March 19, 2012, by stabbing her multiple times and cutting her neck with a pair of household scissors. Following the murder, he cut his own throat, but survived his injuries. The evidence revealed that John had been physically abusing the victim for years prior to the murder.
The conviction for Second Degree Murder carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, a $250,000.00 fine, or both.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.