Suspect to face death penalty in Prescott Valley double murder/arson case
By Scott Orr
The Daily Courier
Kenneth Wayne Thompson, accused of murdering two people in a Prescott Valley home and then setting it on fire, will face the death penalty when his case goes to trial.
Thompson, 28, of Doniphan, Mo., was arrested in connection with the deaths of Penelope Edwards, 35, and Troy Dunn, 38, of Prescott Valley. They were found dead in a burned-out home in the 4000 block of North Tonopah Drive on March 16. Both victims sustained head trauma, and their deaths were ruled to be homicides, said Prescott Valley Police Sgt. Brandon Bonney.
Thompson is Edwards' brother-in-law, Bonney said.
Earlier this month, Deputy Yavapai County Attorney Steve Young filed a notice of his intent to seek the death penalty in the case.
Thompson is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of misconduct involving weapons, and one count each of arson, burglary, criminal damage, and tampering with physical evidence.
On Tuesday, defense attorney Bill Feldhacker asked for a continuance in the case while investigations continue.
Joining Feldhacker, an attorney from the public defender's office, on the defense team are retired Yavapai County Superior Court Judge Warren R. Darrow and Stephen Glazer, a Flagstaff attorney.
Defendants in capital cases routinely have two attorneys, even when court-appointed. Because of the special requirements of death penalty cases, there is often a need to contract with attorneys from outside the public defender's office. Yavapai County Attorney Dean Trebesch would not comment on the reason for a third defense attorney in this case. Chief Deputy Yavapai County Attorney Dennis McGrane, though, said that Feldhacker and Darrow are the appointed two-man defense team, while Glazer is what's known as "Knapp counsel" - an attorney generally hired by the defendant's family to assist the appointed lawyers.
Judge Celé Hancock granted a six-week continuance.
http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?Sec...ticleID=107156
Bookmarks