Opinion ID: 2621170
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Heading: Pecuniary Gain as an Aggravating Factor

Text: ¶ 12 When a defendant commits murder as consideration for the receipt, or in expectation of the receipt, of anything of pecuniary value, the court shall consider this an aggravating circumstance. A.R.S. § 13-703.F.5 (2001). To establish the F.5 factor, the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that pecuniary gain was a motive, cause, or impetus for the murder and not merely the result of the murder. State v. Kayer, 194 Ariz. 423, 433 ¶ 32, 984 P.2d 31, 41 ¶ 32 (1999) (quoting State v. Spears, 184 Ariz. 277, 292, 908 P.2d 1062, 1077 (1996)), cert. denied, 528 U.S. 1196, 120 S.Ct. 1259, 146 L.Ed.2d 115 (2000). We conclude the court erred in finding the State established the F.5 factor in this matter. ¶ 13 The State, relying on LaGrand and Greene, argues that the defendant's overall motive was to rob the victim and this desire infect[ed] all other conduct of the defendant. State v. LaGrand, 153 Ariz. 21, 35, 734 P.2d 563, 577 (1987); State v. Greene, 192 Ariz. 431, 439 ¶ 32, 967 P.2d 106, 114 ¶ 32 (1998), cert. denied, 526 U.S. 1120, 119 S.Ct. 1772, 143 L.Ed.2d 802 (1999). The State interprets the language from LaGrand too broadly and ignores relevant restrictions that apply when evaluating the F.5 aggravating factor. A murder committed in the context of a robbery or burglary is not per se motivated by pecuniary gain. Rather, we reserve the death penalty for murders committed during a robbery or burglary for those cases in which the facts clearly indicate a connection between a pecuniary motive and the killing itself; the expectation of pecuniary gain must be a motive for the murder. ¶ 14 We distinguish a murder that occurs during a robbery or burglary in which the expectation of pecuniary gain serves as a catalyst for the entire chain of events, including the murder, from a robbery gone bad or a robbery that occurs close in time to a murder but that constitutes a separate event for the purpose of an F.5 determination. State v. McKinney, 185 Ariz. 567, 584, 917 P.2d 1214, 1231 (1996). The existence of an economic motive at some point during the events surrounding a murder is not enough to establish pecuniary gain as a motive. State v. Medina, 193 Ariz. 504, 513 ¶ 32, 975 P.2d 94, 103 ¶ 32 (1999). There must be a connection between the motive and the killing. Id. ¶ 15 Whether the needed connection exists between expected pecuniary gain and the motive for killing involves a highly fact-intensive inquiry. The inquiry usually involves deciding whether a motive for the murder was to facilitate the taking of or the ability to keep items of pecuniary value. See, e.g., State v. Smith, 146 Ariz. 491, 501, 707 P.2d 289, 299 (1985) (defendant killed a convenience store clerk to gain access to the cash register; court found [u]nder the facts of this case (but certainly not of all robberies) the commission of the killing necessarily carried with it the expectation of pecuniary gain); State v. Correll, 148 Ariz. 468, 479, 715 P.2d 721, 732 (1986) (defendant robbed home of victims, then took victims to desert where he shot and killed them; court held that defendant very carefully executed the armed robbery, and the murders were part of the scheme of robbery. The only motivation for the killings was to leave no witnesses to the robbery.); State v. Hensley, 142 Ariz. 598, 604, 691 P.2d 689, 695 (1984) (defendant executed the victims during the robbery of a bar; court found the murders were a part of the overall scheme of the robbery with the specific purpose to facilitate the robbers' escape); LaGrand, 153 Ariz. at 36, 734 P.2d at 578 (defendant stabbed the bank clerk when the clerk frustrat[ed] defendant's continuing attempt for pecuniary gain). But see State v. Gillies, 135 Ariz. 500, 512, 662 P.2d 1007, 1019 (1983) (defendant confessed that the purpose of murdering the rape victim was to eliminate her as a witness to her own rape, not to steal her credit cards and cash; court held [w]ithout some tangible evidence, or strong circumstantial inference, it is not for the sentencing court to conclude that because money and items were taken, the purpose of the murder was pecuniary gain.). If the State fails to show the needed connection between pecuniary gain and the motive for murder, the F.5 factor cannot be used as an aggravator. As we emphasized in LaGrand, an unexpected or accidental death that occurs during the course of or flight from a robbery, but which was not committed in furtherance of pecuniary gain, does not provide sufficient basis for an F.5 finding. 153 Ariz. at 35, 734 P.2d at 577. Similarly, the sole fact that a defendant takes items or money from the victim does not establish pecuniary gain as a motive for the murder. See State v. Wallace, 151 Ariz. 362, 368, 728 P.2d 232, 238 (1986). Even a conviction for robbery, during which a murder occurs, does not necessarily prove pecuniary gain as motivation for the murder. See State v. Greenway, 170 Ariz. 155, 164, 823 P.2d 22, 31 (1991); State v. Carriger, 143 Ariz. 142, 161, 692 P.2d 991, 1010 (1984). Although a factual finding of pecuniary gain as a motive may be based upon tangible evidence or strong circumstantial inference, State v. Hyde, 186 Ariz. 252, 280, 921 P.2d 655, 683 (1996), a finding that pecuniary gain served as a motive is essential to establishing the F.5 factor. ¶ 16 The needed connection between expectation of pecuniary gain and a motive for murder often results from a finding that one of the defendant's motives in committing the murder was to facilitate the taking of or ability to retain items of pecuniary value. A review of prior decisions illustrates the distinction between those situations and robberies gone bad. ¶ 17 For instance, in LaGrand, the defendant stabbed the victim twenty-four times when the victim was unable to open the bank safe. When evaluating the F.5 aggravating circumstance, we focused on the reason the defendant was present and the reason he stabbed the victim. LaGrand was present because he intended to rob the bank and killed the bank employee when the victim frustrat[ed] defendant's continuing attempt for pecuniary gain. LaGrand, 153 Ariz. at 36, 734 P.2d at 578. While the defendant's action in LaGrand may not have been a rational method for achieving his pecuniary goal, a clear connection existed between the desire for pecuniary gain and the motive for murder. ¶ 18 No comparable connection between pecuniary gain and motive for murder existed in State v. Rienhardt, 190 Ariz. 579, 951 P.2d 454 (1997), in which the murder took place in the context of a drug deal. The defendant held the victim as human collateral in exchange for either methamphetamine or payment of a debt. When a third party failed to return with either, the defendant killed the victim. The State, again relying on a broad interpretation of LaGrand, argued that the defendant's desire for drugs or money infected all other conduct. We rejected the State's argument and distinguished LaGrand: In LaGrand, the defendant came to rob, and killed the employee during the robbery itself. Here, while Rienhardt held his human collateral hostage in expectation of the receipt of something of pecuniary value, his decision to take Ellis to the desert and kill him signified the end of his expectation of receipt of anything of pecuniary value, because killing Ellis frustrated this purpose. The killing was also removed in time and place from the underlying drug deal that was supposed to have happened hours earlier .... Rienhardt, 190 Ariz. at 591, 951 P.2d at 466. ¶ 19 State v. Jones, 197 Ariz. 290, 4 P.3d 345 (2000), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 121 S.Ct. 1616, 149 L.Ed.2d 480 (2001), provides another example of the needed connection between pecuniary gain and motive for murder. There, the evidence demonstrated that the defendant began the robbery intending to murder anyone who happened to be in the store at the time. Jones, 197 Ariz. at 309 ¶ 56, 4 P.3d at 364 ¶ 56. We found that the defendant murdered the individuals to facilitate the robberies and then escape punishment, stating: These murders were not robberies gone bad. Instead, Jones and his co-defendant set out to accomplish the results they obtained, simply to acquire money. Thus, the F.5 factor applies and has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Id. ¶ 20 In contrast to the defendant's motive in Jones, the defendant's motive in State v. Medina, 193 Ariz. 504, 975 P.2d 94 (1999), had no apparent connection to his desire for pecuniary gain. In Medina, the defendant and two companions, in an effort to steal the victim's car, beat the victim, dragged him from his car, beat and kicked him again, and then repeatedly drove over him. We concluded, while the reason for beating him may have been a desire to steal, the same is not necessarily true of the homicide. 193 Ariz. at 513 ¶ 30, 975 P.2d at 103 ¶ 30. Instead, the evidence suggested that it was just as likely the defendant acted for his own amusement. Id. ¶ 21 We have also found that a murder committed to facilitate escape and/or hinder detection by police furthers the pecuniary interest of the criminal. See Greenway, 170 Ariz. at 165, 823 P.2d at 32; State v. Hoskins, 199 Ariz. 127, 137 ¶ 87, 14 P.3d 997, 1017 ¶ 87 (2000) (finding F.5 present [w]hen a robbery victim is executed to facilitate the killer's escape and hinder detection for the purpose of successfully procuring something of value). In Greenway, the defendant murdered his victims execution-style after robbing their home. Greenway entered the home knowing the victims were present and made no attempt to disguise his identity; the practical effect of the murders was to eliminate the only witnesses to the crime. 170 Ariz. at 165, 823 P.2d at 32. We found [t]he specific purpose of the murders was to facilitate defendant's escape and hinder detection, thereby furthering his pecuniary goal. Id. ¶ 22 The facts of this case do not establish that the expectation of pecuniary gain provided a motive for the murder. Although pecuniary gain certainly was a motive for the defendant's decision to beat and bind the victim, her rape and the murder appear to be separate events. Unlike LaGrand or the cases cited therein, this murder did not facilitate the taking or keeping of the stolen property. While the defendant's initial intention was to rob the victim, we cannot conclude that his motive for killing her was pecuniary in nature. Cf. Medina, 193 Ariz. at 513 ¶ 32, 975 P.2d at 103 ¶ 32 (concluding [e]ven if the defendant's initial intention was to take the car or radio, we cannot conclude that his motive for later running over and killing the victim was pecuniary gain). The murder, which occurred at least an hour after the victim's arrival, did not facilitate the defendant's ability to secure pecuniary gain, particularly in light of the fact that he bound the victim almost as soon as she entered his home. ¶ 23 We also disagree with the State's assertion that the defendant committed this murder to facilitate escape and hinder detection by police. After the murder, the defendant left Ms. Calabrese in his bedroom for four to five hours, then placed her in the backyard where she was visible over a low fence. The next morning, without any further attempts to escape or evade detection, he left for work but instead drove to his sister's home, where he confessed to her. The defendant's father eventually summoned the police, who peaceably took the defendant into custody. Further, in distinction to the facts in Greenway, the defendant's decision to kill Ms. Calabrese did not eliminate the only witness to the crime: the defendant's wife and their children were present during the entire chain of events. The State did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt a connection between the motive and the killing related to pecuniary gain for the purpose of F.5. Medina, 193 Ariz. at 513 ¶ 32, 975 P.2d at 103 ¶ 32. ¶ 24 We conclude that the trial court erred in finding the State established the F.5 factor beyond a reasonable doubt.