Fernando Acosta pleaded guilty Friday to charges tied to the 2019 roadside killing of his girlfriend along the Loop 101 in Peoria, closing a case that stunned commuters and witnesses who watched it unfold in real time. The plea resolves a stack of charges that stemmed from a March 2019 crash and a brutal attack on the freeway shoulder.
As reported by 12 News, Acosta, 32, admitted to counts including first-degree murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault and drug possession. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 13, 2026. The plea covers offenses that court filings place on March 22, 2019.
How the attack unfolded
According to court paperwork and contemporaneous reporting, the vehicle left northbound Loop 101 near the Thunderbird Road off-ramp, went down an embankment and hit a fence. Troopers and witnesses say Acosta then attacked Martha Thy at the scene, first inside the car and then on the freeway shoulder, while bystanders jumped out of their vehicles to intervene. One witness later said a man fired shots toward the assailant as others tackled and restrained him, as detailed by ABC15.
The victim and community reaction
Local reporting and family statements identify the victim as 33-year-old Martha Thy, who left behind three daughters. Relatives described her as a devoted mother and urged any witnesses to come forward, according to Fox 10 Phoenix. The incident temporarily shut down part of the Loop 101 while investigators documented the scene.
Legal next steps
With the guilty plea now on the record, the case moves directly to sentencing on July 13, 2026, when a judge will hear competing recommendations from prosecutors and the defense before deciding Acosta’s punishment. As noted by 12 News, the plea covers the charges that were filed after the March 2019 attack.
The guilty plea brings formal closure in court to a violent episode that unfolded within sight of passing drivers, yet it also revives questions about witness video, bystander intervention and how roadside crimes are handled by law enforcement. We have contacted the Maricopa County courts for filings related to the plea and will update this story if officials provide additional documents or statements.
