PHOENIX — The man accused of killing the 14-year-old daughter of his estranged ex-girlfriend in 2013 has recently been found guilty of first-degree murder and kidnapping.
A Maricopa County jury delivered their verdict last week in the criminal trial against Alex Madrid, who had been charged with strangling Claudia Lucero to death and then deposing of her body in a Mesa dumpster.
Madrid, 42, was found guilty of first-degree murder, burglary, kidnapping, sexual conduct with a minor, concealing a dead body and unlawful flight.
Prosecutors said Lucero was killed on the morning of Dec. 5, 2013 when the teenager was home alone and getting ready for school. Madrid had been in a relationship with the victim's mother but had recently moved out of the family's residence.
After he sexually assaulted and killed the girl, prosecutors said Madrid then staged her bedroom to make it appear as if Lucero had run away. The victim's body was then put in a dumpster located along Brown Road in Mesa.
Madrid's trial started more than a month ago in Maricopa County Superior Court and it took several weeks before the jury delivered a verdict.
Jurors will reconvene at a later date to determine whether the crimes included aggravating factors.
RELATED: 11 years after 14-year-old girl was found dead in Mesa dumpster, her accused killer stands trial
RELATED: Court docs say alleged Arizona cop killer was at an elevated risk of violence months before shooting
UP TO SPEED
>> Live, local, breaking. Download the 12News app
Watch 12News+ for free
You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12News+ app!
The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.
Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives.
Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for "12 News KPNX."
Amazon Fire TV: Search for "12 News KPNX" to find the free 12News+ app to add to your account, or have the 12News+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app.
