Prosecutors to seek death penalty against Phoenix adoptive parents charged with murder

PERRY VANDELL   | Arizona Republic

The Maricopa County Attorney's office plans to seek the death penalty against two parents accused of abusing and neglecting their adoptive children and hiding the body of a girl who died after falling ill rather than take her to a hospital.

Police arrested Rafael and Maribel Loera in January 2020 after police and firefighters discovered a child's skeletal remains in the attic of their Phoenix home, as well as numerous signs of abuse on their other children.

Court documents say Rafael told investigators that he waited several days after his adoptive daughter, who had been renamed Ana Loera, had become very sick before taking her to Phoenix Children's Hospital.

But Ana began to vomit and convulse in the car and died before they reached the hospital. Court documents say she was 11 years old. Fearing he would lose custody of the other children, Rafael drove back home and hid Ana's body in the attic where it remained for years, documents say.

The Department of Child Safety removed three other children — two of whom were siblings of Ana Loera.

Both Rafael and Maribel Loera were initially arrested on several counts of child abuse but prosecutors later refiled the case charging both parents with first-degree murder among additional charges.

Prosecutors submitted intent to seek the death penalty against Rafael and Maribel Loera on Wednesday — nearly two years after their initial arrest — if they are found guilty of first-degree murder.

MCAO provided The Arizona Republic copies of the filings on Thursday afternoon, which state the Loera's crimes were especially heinous, cruel and depraved while also violating their special relationship as caregivers.

Priscilla Marquez, Ana's biological mother who had originally named her Charisma, told The Republic on Thursday that she wanted both parents to serve life in prison without an execution, potentially cutting more time they could have spent reflecting on their actions. Later, she said she was happy with the state's decision to pursue capital punishment.

Rafael and Maribel Loera are scheduled to go to trial on March 1, though it's unclear whether the new filings will delay it further.

Reach the reporter Perry Vandell at 602-444-2474 or perry.vandell@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @PerryVandell.