Arizona man sentenced to life in prison for 2017 death of his wife, who was buried alive
An Arizona man has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the death of his wife, who was buried alive in a hand-dug grave near their home, authorities said.
PRESCOTT, Ariz. — An Arizona man has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2017 death of his wife, who was buried alive in a hand-dug grave near their home, authorities said.
Seven years after the murder, David Pagniano decided to plead guilty before his trial was scheduled to start and allowed a judge to determine his sentence without a plea agreement.
Pagniano, 62, also was sentenced on May 9 to a 16 ½-year prison term for kidnapping, forgery and fraud, according to the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office.
David Michael Pagniano.Yavapai County Sheriff's Office“My office pursued the death penalty in this case because of the horrific circumstances surrounding the abduction and murder of a young mother,” County Attorney Dennis McGrane said in a statement.
Authorities said 39-year-old Sandra Pagniano disappeared while she was in the process of divorcing her husband in May 2017.
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