PHOENIX — The Arizona Court of Appeals declined to revive an effort to seek the death penalty against a Mexican immigrant charged in the 2015 killing of a convenience store clerk in metro Phoenix.
Prosecutors were seeking to overturn a lower court ruling that dismissed the state’s intent to seek the death penalty against Apolinar Altamirano.
The lower court concluded Altamirano’s intellectual deficits affected his ability to meet the standard of personal independence and social responsibility.
Altamirano is accused of fatally shooting 21-year-old Grant Ronnebeck at a Mesa store after Ronnebeck insisted Altamirano pay for a pack of cigarettes. Altamirano pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges.
Arizona Politics
Track all of our current updates with Arizona politics on our 12 News YouTube channel. Subscribe for updates on all of our new uploads.
