The Maricopa County Attorney's Office has charged two teens as adults in connection to the slaying of one of the boys' father.

The teens are charged as part of an overall conspiracy to kill 39-year-old Steven Gibson, according to the Peoria Police Department.

Gibson's wife, Michelle Gibson, 41, his son, Steven Gibson Jr., 16, and Erik McBee, 16, have been arrested and charged by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office with first-degree murder.

Maricopa County Attorney's Office spokesman Jerry Cobb said both 16-year-olds are being charged as adults. Prosecutors said they might seek the death penalty against Michelle Gibson, who they say hired the boys to commit the crime.

"The decision was based on the age of the defendants and the seriousness of the crime," Cobb said.

Police said three other people were identified as having been involved in the incident, but none of them have been arrested yet. Court records indicate Michelle Gibson and Steven Gibson Jr. paid two other boys $2,000.

Officers responded to the Gibsons' home March 1 after Michelle Gibson reported that she had found her husband dead in the garage of their home, police said.

The family initially told detectives that no one had been at home with the elder Steven Gibson prior to his death, but after McBee and another teen came forward about the incident and investigators examined cellphone records, detectives came to the conclusion that multiple people had conspired to kill the man.

According to authorities, the trio plotted to kill Steven Gibson Sr. as they had determined he was a danger to the family. Police said Michelle Gibson told the boys they had to kill her husband before he killed her or her son. She also allegedly told them she wanted someone to find the body so she could collect insurance money.

Michelle Gibson is believed to have left her home at 10:30 p.m. to take her daughter shopping, with the younger Steven Gibson following them, police said. McBee was left at the house, and he is believed to have entered the victim's room after everyone had gone, beaten Steven Gibson Sr. repeatedly with a bat and then later cut the man's throat with a knife, according to police.

Steven Gibson Jr. returned home after communicating with McBee and is believed to have stabbed his father multiple times, police said.

The victim's body was hauled to the garage, at which point the plan was apparently to drop him at a park to make the death appear drug-related, according to authorities.

Police said McBee heard sirens and fled the scene, and Steven Gibson Jr. and his mother attempted to clean up the evidence before calling police.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...urder/2046783/