Opinion ID: 859212
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Murder of Alexander

Text: ¶79 George Newton testified that, after he heard gunshots in Mary’s apartment, Alexander came outside and said of his first gunshot wound, “George, it hurts.” Alexander walked about ten feet from the door before falling on his face. Boyston followed him outside and, saying “I might as well finish you right now,” fired two shots into Alexander’s back. ¶80 The medical examiner, Dr. Vladimir Shvarts, testified that Alexander had three through-and-through gunshot wounds: two in the back that exited through the chest, and one through the arm near the elbow. Each of the gunshot wounds was in an area where there were pain receptors. Detective Olson, an expert in bloodstain patterns, testified that blood drops found inside the apartment and leading to bloodstains outside were “consistent with [Alexander] dropping the blood from his right arm.” ¶81 The jury could reasonably find that Boyston shot Alexander in the arm at close range inside the apartment and that Alexander suffered significant physical pain from that wound. See State v. Herrera, 176 Ariz. 21, 34, 859 P.2d 131, 144 (1993) (finding victim endured physical pain when he lay on the ground with a gash in his head for at least eighteen seconds and possibly as long as two to three minutes before being killed). The jury could also reasonably conclude that Boyston 38 knew or should have known that he had caused such pain, as he followed the wounded and staggering victim outside, where he shot him twice more in the back.8 Thus, the jury did not abuse its discretion in finding the (F)(6) aggravator established for the murder of Alexander.