INMATE 155617 - ARMSTRONG, SHAD D

Armstrong and two accomplices planned the murder of Armstrong's sister and brother-in-law. They prepared by, among other things, hanging sheets on the walls in Armstrong's trailer to absorb blood spatter, and digging a pit in which to bury the bodies. Armstrong shot the victims to death with a shotgun. After removing jewelry from the bodies and rifling through the pockets of the victims' clothes, Armstrong and David Doogan transported the corpses to the pit and buried them. Armstrong then disposed of blood-spattered furniture and spent the night of the murders at the victims' home. When he left, he took some of their furniture to replace the discarded items. Armstrong and Doogan returned to the vitims's apartment to steal their truck and remove valuables, including the victims' two dogs. Armstrong fled Arizona when police began investigating the victims' disappearance. Doogan confessed and implicated Armstrong, who was arrested in Oklahoma.

PROCEEDINGS
Presiding Judge: Honorable Howard Hantman   Honorable Christopher C. Browning (re-sentencing)
Prosecutors: Susan Eazer   Rick Unklesbay, Suzan Easer, & Nicol Green (re-sentencing)
Defense Counsel: Harley Kurlander, David Basham   Daniel Cooper & Julie Duvall (re-sentencing)
Start of Trial: January 6, 2000
Verdict: March 10, 2000
Sentencing: December 7, 2000
Re-sentencing: November 16, 2006

Aggravating Circumstances
Pecuniary gain (Farah Armstrong)
Multiple homicides (both victims)

PUBLISHED OPINIONS
State v. Ring et al., Ariz. 534, 65 P.3d 915 (2003)
State v. Armstrong, 208 Ariz. 345, 93 P.3d 1061 (2004)
State v. Armstrong, 208 Ariz. 360, 93 P.3d 1076 (2004) (Ring)
State v. Armstrong, 218 Ariz. 451, 189 P.3d 378 (2008)