Vaughn Wilson sentenced to 35 years in prison for 2021 murder of wife in Maricopa County

Rey Covarrubias Jr., Arizona Republic
·2 min read
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Vaughn Wilson was sentenced to 35 years in prison in the 2021 murder of his wife, according to the Maricopa County Attorney's office announcing the punishment on Wednesday afternoon.

Wilson, 31, pleaded guilty in January to second-degree murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He was sentenced to 25 years on the murder charge and 10 years on the assault charge, according to the county attorney. His wife, Jada Wilson, was 29 years old.

On July 13, 2021 at around 6 p.m., Maricopa County Sheriff's Office received a 911 transfer call from Mesa Police Department, claiming a man confessed to shooting his wife at their home near Sunland Avenue and 96th Street.

Officers who arrived found Jada laying in the home's hallway with three gunshot wounds, according to the county attorney.

Police investigating the scene said the shooting arose from an argument over the marriage between Wilson and his wife, during which the victim told Wilson she wanted a divorce.

Wilson told police that he killed his wife because he could not live with the thought of her being in a relationship with another person, according to the county attorney.

The victim was shot in the chest and shoulder as she attempted to flee, with a final shot fired by Wilson at her head while she was already on the ground, according to the county attorney.

"Far too often domestic violence victims are killed when they choose to break free from their abuser,” said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell.

"Every act of seeking justice against an abuser is a powerful declaration that their actions will not go unchallenged and that they will be held accountable," added Mitchell.

Resources for Arizonans experiencing domestic violence include:

The Republic's Olivia Munson contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Husband sentenced to 35 years in the murder of his wife