A Maricopa County man, Dave Dinkins, has been sentenced to 42 years in prison for murdering Geoffrey Rugwiro.
According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, on March 21, 2023, Rugwiro was beaten to death and his body set on fire at 11th Avenue and Madison Street, in an area formerly referred to as “The Zone.” Surveillance video recorded the victim being taken into a dark corner where a large amount of blood was found. Shortly after, his body was pushed in a shopping cart and placed in a dumpster. Dinkins then set the dumpster on fire with the victim’s body inside.
Dinkins was identified as one of the men in the video and Phoenix Police found incriminating texts linking him to the murder.
A member of Rugwiro’s family told the court that Rugwiro was among, “one of the few beacons of hope for life” after their family escaped genocide in Rwanda. The family member added that the brutality of this crime has left their family broken.
Dinkins plead guilty to Second-Degree Murder, a Class One Dangerous felony; and Kidnapping, a Class Two Dangerous felony.
“This defendant showed an unimaginable level of cruelty and an immense disregard for the victim’s life,” said County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “For too many years, ‘The Zone’ was a hotbed of crime and violence, plaguing those living and working in and around it. Everyone in Maricopa County deserves to feel safe in our community. My office is dedicated to ensuring those who threaten that safety and security are held accountable.”
The co-defendant in this case, Isaiah Baskin, is awaiting trial on the following charges:
- One count of First-Degree Murder, a Class One felony
- Kidnapping, a Class Two felony
- One count of Arson of a Structure or Property, a Class Four felony
- One count of Abandonment or Concealment of a Dead Body, a Class Five felony