State v. Milke

In State v. Milke, 177 Ariz. 118, 865 P.2d 779 (Ariz. 1993), the Supreme Court of Arizona upheld the death penalty for a female defendant convicted of first degree murder, conspiracy to commit first degree murder, kidnaping, and child abuse for the murder of her four-year-old son. The defendant had no prior criminal record but two aggravating factors were found to warrant the sentence: that the defendant was an adult and the victim was less than fifteen years old and that the murder was committed in an especially heinous and depraved manner. The evidence established that the defendant wanted to kill her son in order to prevent him from turning out like his father. 865 P.2d at 782. She enlisted the aid of her boyfriend, who shot the victim to death and disposed of his body in the desert, to carry out her wishes. Id.