A Phoenix courtroom attack saw the father-in-law of a murdered former US Army captain lunge at the man convicted of killing him during a sentencing hearing.
Alberto Ontiveros Sanchez, 55, was arrested after allegedly punching Abel Uribe several times at the defence table in Maricopa County Superior Court. The incident brought proceedings to a halt and led to the courtroom being cleared.
Uribe was appearing for sentencing over the 2022 murder of David Navidad-Parra, Sanchez’s 27-year-old son-in-law. Navidad-Parra was shot dead after meeting Uribe during a private vehicle sale in west Phoenix.
Phoenix courtroom attack followed victim impact statement
Court records said Sanchez had just addressed the judge before walking back towards the gallery. He then turned, charged towards the defence table and struck Uribe in the back of the head while the defendant was handcuffed and restrained with leg chains.
Sanchez’s lawyer told the court that he had reacted after seeing Uribe laughing and snickering. The attorney said Sanchez had no previous criminal record, had lived legally in the United States for more than 30 years and worked full-time to support his family.
“He’s been a model citizen for his entire life,” the lawyer said, according to reports of the hearing.
The judge acknowledged the family’s grief but said violence could not be tolerated in court. Sanchez was released on his own recognisance and is accused of aggravated assault of a restrained victim, fighting and interfering with a judicial proceeding.
Uribe pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in Navidad-Parra’s death and was due to receive a life sentence. Phoenix police said the victim had been reported missing while taking a prospective buyer on a test drive.
His body was later found with a gunshot wound, while the vehicle was discovered burned in Glendale. Uribe was arrested after investigators linked him to the killing and the use of Navidad-Parra’s bank card.
