A convicted Phoenix mass-murderer was sentenced to death nearly 30 years ago and he could be the next death row inmate executed in Arizona.
Maricopa County’s top prosecutor is calling attention to death row inmate Richard Djerf, who could be executed next.
“I had the father restrained. He broke loose and came charging me and stabbed me and then I pulled my gun and just started shooting,” said Djerf, a convicted mass murderer in an Arizona’s Family exclusive jailhouse interview three decades ago.
In 1995, Good Morning Arizona anchor Scott Pasmore sat down with Djerf before he was sentenced to death. “Was it easy for you to kill?” asked Pasmore. “After it started, yeah,” replied Djerf.
Djerf was convicted of murdering four members of the Luna family in an act of revenge against a coworker, Albert Luna. Djerf was 23 at the time of the crimes. In 1996, he was given the death penalty after representing himself in court.
In September 1993, he used a ruse to enter the Lunas’ west Phoenix home armed with a gun and knife.
Over several hours, he brutally killed Albert’s mom, dad, 5-year-old brother and teenage sister who he also raped. “I was basically daring myself to see how far I could go before I turned back and I basically chickened out, but it was like I lost control and I didn’t chicken out,” said Djerf during the 1995 jailhouse interview.
Before leaving the scene, he tried to set the home on fire. Albert later found his family’s bodies and his girlfriend called 911. “Oh my God. He says his mom’s face is all taped up and he can hear gas, smell gas and his little brother is laying on the table,” said Albert’s girlfriend during the 911 call.
“He said to the mother, ‘Do you want to watch your son die or do you want him to watch you die?’ He then shot and killed the mother and the 5-year-old, but before doing so, he made sure that she knew that her daughter and her husband were also dead,” said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell.
Mitchell said Djerf could be the next Arizona prisoner to be executed. “His actions on that day were pure evil,” she said.
