Arizona man sentenced in deaths of girl, father
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A third defendant convicted in the deaths of a southern Arizona girl and her father has been sentenced.
Albert Gaxiola was sentenced Monday to two life terms in the 2009 deaths of 9-year-old Brisenia Flores and her father, 29-year-old Raul Junior Flores.
The Arizona Daily Star reports (http://bit.ly/r4Mdii) the 44-year-old Arivaca resident was convicted last month of murder. The jurors spared Gaxiola the death penalty for the murder of Junior Flores, but could not reach a unanimous decision as to his punishment in the girl's death.
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Prosecutors decided to leave Gaxiola's punishment up to Pima County Superior Court Judge John Leonardo.
Authorities believe Gaxiola recruited Shawna Forde and Jason Bush to kill Flores because of a drug-smuggling feud. Forde and Bush were both sentenced to death row earlier this year.