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Tempe Man Sentenced to Life for 2023 Murder of 19-Year-Old Girlfriend

Prosecutors cast the case as a jealous attack with extreme brutality.

Overview

  • The Maricopa County Attorney's Office announced Tuesday that Adrian Aguilar, 23, received a life sentence, and court records show he began serving it on April 2.
  • Court documents detail 26 additional years: 16 for kidnapping and 10 for each aggravated-assault count, with the assault terms served at the same time.
  • A jury in February 2026 found Aguilar guilty of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and two counts of aggravated assault.
  • Investigators say he shot Amira Crofton in June 2023 after seeing a text on her phone, then drove around Tempe for about 45 minutes while firing at her.
  • Police cited 11 gunshot wounds, a witness report of shots at 48th Street and Broadway Road, and a confession in which Aguilar said he felt disrespected and admitted shooting himself in the shoulder.