After over three decades since one of Arizona’s most gruesome crimes, Richard Djerf, the man convicted for the murders of four members of the Luna family in 1993, is scheduled to face execution on October 17, 2025. According to details from a FOX 10 Phoenix report, Djerf pled guilty to first-degree murder charges in 1995. Despite his early plea, the case endured a protracted legal struggle that was not resolved until 2020.
Djerf was 23 at the time of the crime, which occurred in the wake of an enraged obsession over stolen property — electronics and an AK-47 — taken by Albert Luna, Jr., from Djerf's residence months prior. In attempts to brutally exact revenge, Djerf cruelly murdered Patricia Luna, 42, Albert Luna, 47, Rochelle Luna, 18, and the youngest victim, five-year-old Damien. Yahoo News notes that the tragic incident commenced on the morning of September 14, 1993, with Djerf disguising his lethal intent with artificial flowers to gain entry to the Luna household.
The depth of the crime's horror was further revealed in an interview with Ernie Britts, the first police officer to arrive at the scene. Speaking with FOX 10 Phoenix, Britts described the unsettling sight: "The father laying on the kitchen floor, and his head was all smashed and blood everywhere. To the right was the mother sitting in a chair, facing the five-year-old boy who was sitting in a chair. Both taped to the chair, and she had tape on her face. It was horrific." The traumatic effects of the scene were palpable, impacting even seasoned law enforcement emotionally and professionally.
As Djerf's execution date draws near, there seems to be little, if any, hurdle left to prevent the sentence from being carried out. If completed, Djerf will be the second individual put to death in Arizona in 2025, following the execution of Aaron Gunches in March. Memories of the crime remain deeply embedded, not only in the minds of the victims’ families but also in those who responded to the call for justice on that fateful day. "No. You can't forget what you see," Britts told FOX 10 Phoenix. "It's hard to forget. It leaves a scar no matter what."
