A second defendant has been sentenced for his involvement in the abduction-murders of two Bullhead City residents in a remote desert area of Fort Mohave. The 24-year prison term imposed during Thursday’s sentencing hearing for 29-year old Jose Vizcara was the harshest punishment possible under terms of a plea agreement convicting him of two counts of kidnapping.
Authorities have said that Mona Carter, 51, and Daryl Ward, 22 were both abducted and herded into a bedroom of a Bullhead City home in January, 2018. Both were interrogated; Ward for his suspected involvement in theft of drugs and Carter for her suspected work as a police informant.
Ward was stripped partially naked, secured with duct tape and had his genitals super glued. Both were driven to an area off El Rodeo Road where they were shot and killed.
“I should have never put myself in a position leading to the death of others,” Vizcara stated in a letter to the Court. “May God forgive me one day for what I’ve done.”
Mohave County Superior Court Judge Rick Lambert said Vizcara played a “huge” role in the murders even though he didn’t shoot the victims. He said Vizcara was involved in the abduction and interrogation scenario and that he secured the SUV that was used to transport the parties to the scene of the double homicide.
“You basically transported these victims out to be executed. You knew this was going to happen,” Lambert told Vizcara. “You facilitated these executions…You played a big part in all this.”
Vizcara wept as Lambert spoke and imposed the prison sentence.
Lambert previously imposed a sentence of 40 years or more for Francisco Romero, a 27-year-old Bullhead City man who pleaded guilty to murdering Ward and kidnapping Carter. Four other co-defendants await trial for their alleged roles in the abduction killings.
