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Judge Frees Parents in Paused Child Murder Trial Over Goodyear Evidence Lapses

The ruling reflects growing doubts over Goodyear police evidence handling.

Overview

  • Lisa and Germayne Cunningham, released Monday with ankle monitors, can live together in Maricopa County and have supervised video or phone contact with their two youngest children.
  • The months-long trial was halted after internal Goodyear police records showed long-running failures in the department’s evidence-tracking software that cast doubt on chain of custody.
  • Judge Patricia Starr said the unresolved evidence problems and ongoing delay could lead to dismissal of charges or result in a mistrial.
  • Prosecutors said they are alerting other offices that Goodyear cases may include evidence issues that must be disclosed to defendants.
  • An evidentiary hearing has been requested but not set, and the court has not given jurors a return date as it weighs whether the case can proceed.