Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell recently announced the sentencing of Gary Lenall Cox to life in prison for the violent murder of his girlfriend.
Cox, 60, had just been released after completing the sentence for the murder of his wife in 2001.
The case involving the death of Cox’s girlfriend began in the early afternoon of August 7, 2020, when Tempe Police responded to a welfare check at a motel. A 9-1-1 caller stated Cox had said his girlfriend was dead. When police entered the motel room, they found the deceased victim on the floor.
According to the Medical Examiner’s Office, the victim had extensive bleeding in all regions of her brain, approximately twenty rib fractures, and overlapping bruises around her chest and neck. During the investigation, police found evidence including empty bleach bottles and blood stains on the sink, tub, and towels, indicating Cox had attempted to clean the crime scene. There was also evidence that Cox had cleaned the victim’s wounds.
Prior to meeting Cox, the victim was described as a friendly person who would talk to her neighbors at the motel. Once Cox came into the picture and moved in, her behavior completely changed. She would rarely leave her room, and Cox would do all the talking. Cox’s brother also shared that during a video call, he’d noticed the victim had a black eye, something she didn’t have a few days prior when he’d visited the couple.
On February 13th of this year, Cox was convicted of first-degree murder, a Class One Felony; kidnapping, a Class Two Felony; and tampering with physical evidence, a Class Six Felony. He was sentenced today to the following:
- Natural life in prison for first-degree murder
- 28 years for kidnapping
- 4.5 years for tampering with physical evidence
- 3.5 years for possession or use of a narcotic drug from a separate criminal case
“These crimes are the essence of evil and they were committed by a person who is a grave threat to the community,” said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “He will spend a very long time in prison, which is precisely where he belongs.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, please call or text the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit www.thehotline.org