Facts of the Crime:
Jeanette Beaulieu, the victim, was a 38-year-old single woman. She knew Spears, who lived near San Diego, and considered him her boyfriend. Apparently unbeknownst to Jeanette, Spears was living with a girlfriend named Joann in California.
In December 1991, Jeanette took family leave from her employer. On December 31, she purchased a one-way airplane ticket for Spears to come to Phoenix on January 2, 1992. Spears brought with him his 9mm Beretta handgun. After Spears arrived in Phoenix, Jeanette purchased a sleeping bag, withdrew $1,700 from an ATM and had the title to her truck notarized. She later used a charge card for a cash advance of $500.
On Saturday afternoon, January 4, Spears called Joann and told her that he would be driving back to California. When he arrived, he had with him five guns that had belonged to Jeanette, two sleeping bags, and almost $1,000 in cash and was driving Jeanette's truck.
On January 19, Jeanette's body was discovered in a desert area, having been shot through the head with a medium- or large-caliber bullet. Near where the body was found, officers found a shiny 9mm shell casing, which was later identified as having been fired from Spears' 9mm Beretta.
Spears was sentenced to death on March 31, 1993.
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