Last week Andrew Ward, age 30, plead guilty to two counts of 1st Degree Murder in two separate cases, one involving the death of his 12-year-old half-brother and Douglas Walker, his 33-year-old jail cellmate.
According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, documentation surrounding Ward’s prior mental history “merited a review of whether to continue seeking the death penalty and supported this resolution.”
On March 12, 2014 police officers responded to a North Phoenix home where the 12-year-old victim had been stabbed to death. Ward was found by officers at a nearby convince store where he told officers he had killed someone. He later told investigators the reason for the murder was that he felt like killing.
Three weeks later on April 2, 2014 detention officers found Ward’s cellmate, Douglas Walker, dead in their shared cell with obvious signs of injuries. Ward admitted to investigators he had killed Walker.
The ADI reported in 2014, that Ward said he “attempted to cut Walker’s throat with a plastic playing card, then using a golf pencil, he stabbed Walker in the eyes and throat. The attack ended after Ward stuffed a plastic bag down Walker’s throat.”
Sheriff’s detectives reported that Ward said he had no regrets for the attack.
Ward has been in custody since March 12, 2014 after allegedly killing his brother in their Phoenix home.
Prior to the March arrest, Ward had been in jail on 11 different occasions since 2006 with “no major disciplinary problems or notable institutional history,” according to authorities.
Douglas Walker was in custody since November 27, 2013 for armed robbery, kidnapping.
The plea agreement in both cases makes Ward eligible for consecutive natural life sentences. Sentencing for both cases is set for September 29, 2017.