Father-in-law of murder victim attacks killer in middle of sentencing hearing

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today.

The father-in-law of a murder victim has attacked the killer in the middle of his sentencing hearing.

Alberto Ontiveros-Sanchez, 55, had just finished delivering his victim impact statement in an Arizona courtroom Wednesday when he lunged at Abel Uribe, 33.

Nearly five years ago, Ontiveros-Sanchez’s son-in-law, 27-year-old Army Captain David Navidad-Parra, was found by Phoenix police dead on the ground with a gunshot wound. Uribe was quickly arrested in connection with his murder, and he has since pleaded guilty.

In a courtroom video, Ontiveros-Sanchez can be seen leaving the lectern and then pivoting right to the defense table, where he struck Uribe, who was restrained with handcuffs and leg chains, several times with his hand.

Chaos erupted, with people seen pulling Ontiveros-Sanchez off of Uribe. Everyone then started clearing out of the courtroom.

Ontiveros-Sanchez was arrested, and then hours later he appeared for his own court hearing.

“After Mr. Ontiveros-Sanchez gave his remarks at the podium, he was very emotional," his attorney Christian Lueders told the judge at that hearing, per ABC15 Arizona.

"He came back and saw that the defendant who was there to be sentenced was laughing, snickering, and he lost it."

While the judge sympathized with what Ontiveros-Sanchez was feeling that day in court, he said violence would not be tolerated.

"I personally cannot imagine the emotions you were feeling today, but we cannot tolerate that kind of conduct in court," the judge said, according to the local outlet.

The judge allowed Ontiveros-Sanchez to be released, but he faces charges, including aggravated assault.

While at the sentencing hearing before the incident, Ontiveros-Sanchez asked that Uribe receive the maximum punishment.

"I am asking for the gentleman who did this for him to be in jail for life. Not doing so would be to not do justice," he said, per local outlet KYMA.

After police found Navidad-Parra’s body on December 17, 2022, they learned of another call in the area about a man who went missing while giving a test drive of a car he was trying to sell to another guy.

Police confirmed the missing man was Navidad-Parra. That same day, Uribe was taken into custody.

When the sentencing hearing resumed, Uribe was given life in prison with the possibility of parole, according to reports.