On Saturday, Joshua Bagley was sentenced to 40 years in prison, the maximum sentence, for the second-degree murder and kidnapping of Diane Craig on a Phoenix bus.
According to FOX 10 Phoenix, the sentencing followed a plea agreement that avoided the potential death penalty. Bagley, who was arrested days after the May 2022 incident, apologized to the victim's family during the hearing.
In a report from AZ Family, Bagley used a purse strap to strangle the 41-year-old mother until she was no longer breathing, after which he attempted to conceal her body between bus seats and made his exit at the next available stop, the bus driver failed to act despite hearing screams, leading to additional lawsuits filed by Craig's family against the driver and Transdev, the transportation company.
During the sentencing, the victim's family expressed their grief. Her sister Adrienne said, "I believe 40 years is just not enough. I wanted him to get life or death, Death was my first choice, to be honest," as reported by AZFamily.
Another sister, Erica, told FOX 10 Phoenix that the 40 years Bagley will serve do not compare to the years of life stolen from her sister.
As the criminal case concludes, civil suits against the transportation company and law enforcement agencies continue. Attorney Benjamin Taylor highlighted systemic failures, telling FOX 10 Phoenix, "The counties are responsible, too, because he should never have been released. This man should’ve been behind bars, and if the bus driver and the county would’ve done their job, Diane Craig would still be alive today."
